Most Health AI Users Question Chatbot Accuracy, Pew Survey Finds
More than one in five Americans now use AI chatbots for health information, but most don't trust the answers they get. Only 18% of AI users rated chatbot responses as very or extremely accurate, according to a Pew Research Center survey of over 5,000 U.S. adults conducted last fall.
The poll, released this week, reveals a sharp gap between how people view AI health information and traditional sources. Sixty-five percent of respondents trusted health information from their doctors or clinicians. Nearly half rated major health websites like WebMD as accurate. By contrast, 23% of AI users said the chatbot information was not too or not at all accurate.
AI remains a minor player in health information
Chatbots have not displaced established sources. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they at least sometimes get health information from their providers. Sixty percent turned to dedicated health websites, and 66% consulted others with the same condition.
Only 7% of Americans said they use AI chatbots often or extremely often for health questions. That compares with more than half who frequently consult doctors or clinicians.
Convenience doesn't equal confidence
Users acknowledged practical benefits. Nearly half said AI chatbots were very convenient, and more than 40% found the information easy to understand. Yet convenience didn't translate to accuracy ratings.
Heavy users were more confident. Forty-five percent of those who use AI health chatbots often or extremely often rated them as highly accurate, versus just 13% of occasional users.
Uninsured and younger adults lead adoption
Adoption patterns show clear divides. About one-third of adults ages 18 to 29 use AI for health questions, compared with 16% of those ages 50 to 64.
Uninsured Americans use health chatbots more frequently. Eleven percent of uninsured respondents said they turn to AI often or extremely often for health information, compared with 7% of insured Americans. This pattern held even when researchers controlled for age, income, and other factors.
Tech companies push into healthcare despite concerns
OpenAI, Amazon, Microsoft, and other firms have recently launched dedicated health AI tools. These chatbots often let users connect personal health data to get tailored insights and help navigate the healthcare system, the companies say.
Researchers and medical experts have raised concerns that the tools could spread inaccurate or misleading health advice. The Pew survey suggests those concerns resonate with users themselves.
For healthcare professionals, the results underscore a central challenge: generative AI and LLM tools can produce plausible-sounding but unreliable medical information. Understanding how these systems work-and their limitations-is increasingly relevant to clinical practice. Learn more about AI for Healthcare applications and where the technology stands today.
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