AI shapes care choices
- A Gallup poll found nearly half of Americans say AI plays some role in their healthcare decisions. - Many said AI even influences whether they go to a doctor or seek care. - This shows consumer reliance on automated decision‑support is growing, despite reliability concerns. (fox10phoenix.com)
About 1 in 4 U.S. adults used an artificial intelligence tool for health information or advice in the past 30 days, according to a Gallup poll released April 15. (gallup.com) The West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America survey was conducted in late 2025, and Associated Press reporting said it found many users turned to tools like ChatGPT before a doctor visit, after an appointment, or while deciding whether to seek care at all. (abcnews.com) Among recent AI health users, about 7 in 10 said they wanted quick answers, extra information or were simply curious, the Associated Press reported from the Gallup findings. University of California San Diego Health chief health AI officer Dr. Karandeep Singh said these tools work for many people like a faster version of web search that delivers an “executive summary.” (abcnews.com) Another March 25 poll from KFF found 32% of adults said they had used artificial intelligence chatbots for health information or advice in the past year. KFF said that share was similar to the 29% who used social media for health information, but still far below the 80% who sought health information from a doctor and the 68% who used internet search engines. (kff.org) KFF also found cost and access pressures behind some of that use: 65% of AI health users said a major reason was getting quick information, 41% said they wanted information before deciding whether to see a provider, and 20% cited affordability or access concerns as a major reason. (kff.org) Health systems are using artificial intelligence in a different lane: inside clinics, where doctors use software to read scans, flag patterns in records and cut paperwork. Cleveland Clinic said those tools are meant to support clinicians, not replace them, and that no chatbot or large language model is a substitute for expert medical care. (health.clevelandclinic.org) The consumer side is moving faster than the guardrails. A BMJ Open study published in April found 49.6% of answers from five public-facing chatbots to 250 health prompts were problematic, with roughly 20% rated highly problematic. (cidrap.umn.edu) That leaves Americans using one set of AI systems for convenience while doctors warn that the same tools can still miss context, invent sources or give unsafe advice. The polls show people are not abandoning clinicians, but they are increasingly letting chatbots shape the decision about when a clinician is needed. (kff.org)
