More Americans Relying On AI, Social Media For Medical Advice Than Ever

Some Americans increasingly rely on artificial intelligence tools for medical advice, according to a KFF poll released Wednesday.

KFF’s latest pollshows that 29% of adults now turn to AI tools or chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Claude for health information and advice on a monthly basis. This share has nearly doubled in the past two years, up from roughly one in six in June 2024, according to KFF.

Meanwhile, three in ten U.S. adults reported that they use social media for health information or advice at least once per month, including about one in six who reported using it “every day,” the poll shows.

The majority of adults in the U.S. said they either “never” or only “occasionally” utilize AI tools (71%) or social media (69%) for medical information, the poll shows. The survey also found that 36% of adults who use social media for health information follow up with a human doctor at least the majority of the time, while 35% check other online sources such as WebMD and 21% consult health agency websites like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thirty-six percent of respondents who use social media platforms for medical information and advice said that desiring to learn from people with the same health condition or similar experiences is a “major reason” they turned to social media, while 35% cited seeking immediate information or support, per the poll.

The poll’s release comes as an increasing number of U.S. hospitals and physicians