One in four U.S. adults (representing more than 66 million people) report having used artificial intelligence tools or chatbots for physical or mental health care information or advice, according to new research released today by the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America. More than half say they rely on AI to supplement their healthcare experience, using technology before and after doctor visits, rather than to replace traditional healthcare.
The findings are based on a nationally representative survey of more than 5,500 U.S. adults conducted from October to December 2025.
In the past 30 days, have you used an AI tool or chatbot for health-related information or advice for any of the following reasons?
% of adults who used an AI tool or chatbot to get health-related information or advice in the past 30 days Yes
Note. Categories are for descriptive purposes only and did not appear in the survey.
Among Americans who have used AI for health-related information or advice in the past 30 days, the most frequently cited motivations are immediate answers (71%) and additional information (71%). Nearly 7 in 10 (67%) say they are interested in what AI has to say, and about 6 in 10 report using AI to do their own research before (59%) or after (56%) a doctor’s visit.
Regardless of the reason, nearly half (46%) of Americans who have used AI for health information say an AI tool or chatbot has made them feel more confident talking to their provider or asking questions. Others said it helped them identify problems early (22%) or avoid unnecessary medical tests or procedures (19%).
“Artificial intelligence is already changing the way Americans seek health information, make decisions, and interact with health care providers, and the health care system must keep pace,” said Tim Rush, president of the West Health Policy Center, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on aging and health care affordability.
The risk is not that AI is moving too fast, but that healthcare systems may be moving too slowly to responsibly guide the use of AI in healthcare. ”
Tim Rush, Director, West Health Policy Center
A small percentage will move to AI instead of providers.
While voluntary research is a major driver of AI health use, it is noteworthy that a small but notable percentage of users these days report turning to AI instead of consulting a healthcare provider, especially when faced with cost, access, or quality barriers. Among recent AI health users, 27% said they did not want to pay for a doctor’s visit, and 14% said they were unable to pay. One in five (21%) said they did not have time to make an appointment, and 16% said they were unable to contact a doctor or health care provider. An additional 21% said they had felt ignored or ignored by their provider in the past, and 18% said they were too embarrassed to tell someone.
In the past 30 days, have you used an AI tool or chatbot for health-related information or advice for any of the following reasons?
% of adults used AI for health-related information and advice in the past 30 days Yes
Among recent AI health users, 84% still see a health care provider, but 14% report that they missed a potential health care provider because of the information or advice they received from AI. Projecting this to the entire U.S. adult population, this equates to approximately 14 million Americans who did not see a health care provider after receiving AI-generated health information.
However, trust in AI-generated health information remains divided. Among people they’ve talked to in the past 30 days, about one-third say they trust them (33%), one-third say they neither trust nor distrust them (33%), and about a third say they don’t trust them (34%). But only 4% say so strongly This shows that many Americans are making health care decisions based on AI-generated information without having full confidence in its accuracy.
Approximately 1 in 10 people (11%) who reported using AI for health information or advice in the past 30 days said AI recommended medical information or advice that they considered unsafe.
“While this data suggests that some Americans may be using artificial intelligence as an alternative to going to the doctor’s office, many people see artificial intelligence as a complementary tool to their health care, helping them understand the symptoms they may be feeling and clarifying the diagnosis they receive from their doctor,” said Joe Daly, global managing partner at Gallup.
Motivation changes depending on age and income
Information seeking is the primary reason Americans turn to AI for health purposes, but usage patterns vary by demographic. Younger adults are more likely than older adults to use AI for independent research, with 69% of adults 18-29 saying they would do research before seeing a doctor, compared to 43% of adults 65 and older.
Income differences are most pronounced for barrier-based motivations. Thirty-two percent of adults making less than $24,000 a year say they used AI because they couldn’t afford a doctor’s visit, compared to just 2% of adults making more than $180,000 a year.
Everyday health questions top the list of AI use cases
Most Americans who have used AI for health information or advice in the past 30 days report using it to gather information about everyday health concerns, such as physical symptoms (58 percent) and nutrition or exercise (59 percent). But the use of AI goes beyond just checking symptoms: Americans who have used AI in the past 30 days also report using it to understand drug side effects (46 percent), interpret medical information (44 percent), or investigate a diagnosis or medical condition (38 percent). Almost one in four (24%) report using AI to investigate mental health or emotional concerns.
methodology
West Health-Gallup Healthcare Center, October-December 2025
The results are based on a Gallup panel survey conducted from October 27 to December. On February 22, 2025, we surveyed a sample of 5,660 adults aged 18 and older who are members of the Gallup Panel, a nationally representative probability-based panel of U.S. adults. Gallup recruits panel members using random selection methods, including random digit dialing (RDD) telephone interviews and address-based sampling (ABS) methods for landlines and cell phones.
Respondents with internet access completed the questionnaire as a web survey, while respondents without regular internet access were sent a printed questionnaire to complete and return by mail. The study’s sample was weighted to be demographically representative of the U.S. adult population using the most recent Current Population Survey numbers. For results based on this sample, we can say that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The margin of error is higher for subsamples. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error and bias into poll results.
