Americans Turning to AI to Supplement Healthcare Visits

Editor’s Note: This research was conducted in partnership with West Health through the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America, a joint initiative to report the voices and experiences of Americans within the healthcare system.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in daily life, the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America reports that 25% of Americans have used an AI tool or chatbot for health information or advice, mainly as a supplemental tool for their care. Over half of recent users say they have used AI because they prefer to research on their own before or after seeing a doctor.

These findings are from a nationally representative survey of more than 5,500 U.S. adults conducted Oct. 27-Dec. 22, 2025, using the Gallup Panel.

More Americans Use AI to Supplement Healthcare Visits Than to Replace Them

About 70% of U.S. adults say they have used an AI tool or chatbot for any purpose, while one in four (25%) say they have used it to gather healthcare information or advice. This aligns with what other studies have found about AI use for health-related purposes.

Those who report using AI for health information or advice in the past 30 days often use it to supplement traditional healthcare experiences, with 59% saying they use AI tools to research on their own before visiting a doctor and 56% using AI to research after visiting a doctor.

A smaller but meaningful share of Americans use AI when faced with cost, access or quality barriers. For example, 14% of those who have recently used AI-generated health information say they used it because they were unable to pay for a doctor visit, 16% because they could not access a provider, and 21% because they felt dismissed or ignored by a provider in the past.

Regardless of the reason, almost half of Americans who have used AI for healthcare information (46%) say the AI tool or chatbot made them feel more confident when talking with or asking questions of a provider. Others claim that it helped them identify issues earlier (22%) or avoid unnecessary medical tests or procedures (19%).

The most frequently reported AI tool used for these purposes is general conversational AI systems such as ChatGPT or Copilot (61%), followed by AI tools embedded within web searches, such as Google AI summaries (55%).

Self-Directed Research Drives AI Use for Health Info, but Motivations Vary

While speed and information seeking are the dominant reasons recent users of AI-generated health information report turning to AI as part of their healthcare journey, reasons for AI use vary by age and income.

Younger adults are more likely than older adults to report using AI for self-directed research. For example, 69% of recent users aged 18 to 29 say they use AI to research on their own before seeing a doctor, compared with 43% of those aged 65 and older. Although more common among younger adults, self-directed research is also prevalent among older adults, with more than four in 10 aged 65 and older using AI for this purpose.

Income is most strongly linked to AI use when cost, access and quality barriers are involved. For example, among adults in households earning less than $24,000 annually, 32% say they have used AI because they could not pay for a doctor’s visit, compared with 2% among those earning $180,000 or more.

Top Types of Health Information Americans Ask AI About

When asked about the specific types of health information or advice they have asked AI for, Americans most often report using AI to answer everyday health questions. Among those who report having used AI for health information or advice in the past 30 days, over half (59%) say they have used an AI tool or chatbot for nutrition or exercise questions, and a similar share (58%) say they have used it for physical symptoms.

Beyond gathering information on nutrition and health symptoms, AI has helped users make sense of clinical information and prepare for appointments with healthcare providers. For instance, 46% have used AI to understand medication side effects, 44% to interpret medical information, and 38% to research a diagnosis or medical condition.

Some Americans Use AI Instead of Seeing a Healthcare Provider

Although most Americans who report using AI-generated health information or advice say they use AI to gather information that supplements traditional care, some report forgoing healthcare visits because of AI-generated advice.

Fourteen percent of recent users say the AI information or advice they received led them to skip a provider visit in the past 30 days. When projected to the entire adult population, this represents an estimated 14 million U.S. adults who did not see a provider because of the AI-generated health information or advice they received.

Even as some Americans report not seeing a provider after receiving AI-generated health information, trust in that information remains mixed. Among those who report having used AI for health information or advice in the past 30 days, roughly one-third say they trust it (33%), one-third neither trust nor distrust it (33%), and one-third distrust it (34%). However, only 4% say they strongly trust the accuracy of AI-generated health information, suggesting that many Americans are making healthcare decisions based on it without full confidence in its accuracy.

Concerns about safety also emerge among some users. About one in 10 who report using AI for health information or advice in the past 30 days (11%) say AI recommended healthcare information or advice that they believed was unsafe.

Implications

AI is part of how some patients navigate their healthcare experiences, serving as a routine step before or after an interaction with a provider. As more Americans use AI to research symptoms, diagnoses and medications in advance, healthcare visits may become more focused and informed, potentially improving care experiences. Using AI after healthcare visits to better understand treatment plans, risks and when to follow up with a provider may also shape how patients manage their care. In a system facing time constraints and workforce pressures, AI tools that help patients clarify questions and review medical information may play a productive role in shaping the care experience. For some Americans, AI is already serving that function.

However, a small but notable share of Americans say they did not see a provider they otherwise would have seen after receiving AI-generated health information or advice. Whether AI tools can appropriately substitute for certain healthcare interactions, and under what circumstances, remains an important question as use of these tools continues to grow.

As AI becomes more integrated into how patients seek and use health information, understanding when it may complement care and when it may serve as a substitute will require continued attention.

The broader picture is one of a healthcare landscape in transition, with AI shaping how many Americans prepare for, engage with and reflect on their healthcare experiences. As Americans utilize AI-generated health information or advice, including in contexts where questions about accuracy and appropriate use may arise, healthcare systems will need to adapt to how these tools are being incorporated into the healthcare journey.

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