When Tiffany Davis experiences side effects from her weight-loss medication, she skips calling her physician and instead opens ChatGPT on her smartphone.
“I’ll just basically let ChatGPT know my status, how I’m feeling,” explained the 42-year-old Mesquite, Texas resident. “I use it for anything that I’m experiencing.”
Davis represents a growing trend among Americans who are increasingly consulting artificial intelligence platforms for medical guidance, according to new Gallup polling data released Wednesday. The research, conducted in late 2025 and supported by three additional recent studies, revealed that approximately 25% of U.S. adults had utilized AI technology for health-related information or guidance within the previous month.
According to Dr. Karandeep Singh, who serves as chief health AI officer at UC San Diego Health, these artificial intelligence platforms function as enhanced versions of the health-related Google searches Americans have conducted for years.
“I almost view it like a better entry portal into web search,” Singh explained. “Instead of someone having to comb through the top, you know, 10, 20, 30 links in a web search, they can now have an executive summary.”
The primary motivation for Americans seeking AI health assistance appears to be the desire for instant responses. Many users report that these tools help them determine the appropriate level of medical intervention needed.
“It’ll let me know if something’s serious or not,” Davis noted regarding her ChatGPT consultations, which she typically conducts before booking doctor visits.
The Gallup research indicated that roughly 70% of Americans who utilized AI for health research in the past month sought immediate answers, additional details, or were driven by curiosity. Most participants used these tools either for pre-appointment preparation or post-visit clarification.
Rakesia Wilson, a 39-year-old from Theodore, Alabama, recently employed AI technology to interpret laboratory results following an endocrinologist consultation. She regularly uses both ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to determine whether symptoms warrant time off for medical appointments or can be monitored at home.
“I just don’t necessarily have the time if it’s something that I feel is minor,” explained Wilson, who works as an assistant principal and sometimes puts in 70-hour weeks.
Overall, the research suggests that AI adoption hasn’t diminished Americans’ pursuit of traditional medical care. Approximately 80% of U.S. adults report consulting physicians or healthcare professionals for health information annually, while about 30% say the same regarding AI tools and chatbots, according to a KFF poll from late February.
A Pew Research Center study from October produced similar results, finding that roughly 20% of American adults obtain health information from AI chatbots at least occasionally, while about 85% rely on healthcare providers.
However, evidence suggests some Americans turn to AI for medical advice due to difficulties accessing professional healthcare, particularly as federal policies and market conditions create barriers to affordable care nationwide.
A notable portion of Gallup study participants cited AI use because professional healthcare was too costly or inaccessible. About 40% sought assistance outside standard business hours, while roughly 30% wanted to avoid paying for doctor visits. Approximately 20% lacked time for appointments, had previously felt dismissed by providers, or felt too embarrassed to speak with medical professionals.
The KFF survey found that younger adults and lower-income individuals were more likely to use AI health tools due to affordability concerns or healthcare access challenges.
Technology specialists frequently caution that AI chatbots lack independent reasoning capabilities and may occasionally provide inaccurate information. These concerns have reached even frequent AI users.
About one-third of adults who recently used AI for health information expressed strong or moderate trust in the accuracy of AI-generated health information and advice, according to Gallup polling. A similar 34% expressed distrust, while another 33% remained neutral.
Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, an otolaryngologist and American Medical Association president, appreciates when patients arrive with “more evolved questions than they used to have” due to AI research. However, he emphasizes that AI should serve as a tool rather than a medical care substitute.
“It is an assistant but not an expert, and that’s why physicians need to be involved in that care,” Mukkamala stated.
Privacy concerns also persist, according to KFF research. Approximately three-quarters of American adults expressed significant or moderate concern about the privacy of personal medical information shared with AI tools or chatbots.
Singh noted that most AI platforms offer settings allowing users to prevent their data from training future models. However, this requires user awareness and vigilance, as carelessness can have consequences.
Last summer, internet researchers discovered private ChatGPT conversations that had been indexed on a public website without users’ knowledge.
Tamara Ruppart, a 47-year-old Los Angeles director, considers herself fortunate to have physicians in her husband’s family available for consultation instead of relying on AI. Given her family’s breast cancer history, she views chatbot health advice as too risky.
“Health care is something that’s pretty serious,” she observed. “And if it’s wrong, you could really hurt yourself.”
