Poll reveals millions of Americans consult AI before, after—and sometimes instead of—seeing a doctor

One in four U.S. adults—the equivalent of over 66 million Americans—report having used artificial intelligence tools or chatbots for physical or mental health care information or advice, according to new research released by the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America. Rather than replacing traditional care, more than half say they turn to AI to supplement their health care experiences, using the technology before or after seeing a doctor.

The findings are based on a nationally representative survey of more than 5,500 U.S. adults conducted from October through December 2025.

Among Americans who have used AI for health-related information or advice in the past 30 days, the most frequently cited motivations are wanting answers quickly (71%) and wanting additional information (71%). Nearly seven in 10 (67%) say they were curious about what AI would say, and roughly six in 10 report using AI to do research on their own before (59%) or after (56%) seeing a doctor.

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

“Artificial intelligence is already reshaping how Americans seek health information, make decisions and engage with providers, and health systems must keep pace,” said Tim Lash, President, West Health Policy Center, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization focused on aging and health care affordability.

“The risk isn’t that AI is moving too fast—it’s that health systems may move too slowly to guide its use in health care responsibly.”

A smaller share turn to AI in place of a provider

While self-directed research is the primary driver of AI health use, a smaller but notable share of recent users report turning to AI instead of seeing a health care provider, particularly when faced with cost, access or quality barriers.

Among recent AI health users, 27% say they didn’t want to pay for a doctor’s visit and 14% say they were unable to pay. One in five (21%) say they didn’t have time to make an appointment, and 16% say they couldn’t access a doctor or provider. Another 21% say they felt dismissed or ignored by a provider in the past, and 18% say they were too embarrassed to talk to a person.

Among recent AI health users, 84% still saw a health care provider, but 14% report not seeing a provider they otherwise would have seen because of information or advice they received from AI. When projected to the full U.S. adult population, this represents roughly 14 million Americans who did not see a provider after receiving AI-generated health information.

Trust in that AI-generated health information, however, remains divided. Among those who consulted it in the past 30 days, roughly one-third say they trust it (33%), one-third neither trust nor distrust it (33%), and about one-third distrust it (34%). However, only 4% say they strongly trust the accuracy, indicating that many Americans are making health care decisions based on AI-generated information without full confidence in its accuracy.

About one in 10 (11%) who report using AI for health information or advice in the past 30 days say that AI recommended health care information or advice they believed was unsafe.

“This data indicates that while some Americans may be using artificial intelligence as a substitute for going to the doctor’s office, many see it as a tool to complement their health care, helping them understand symptoms they might be feeling and clarify any diagnosis they receive from their doctors,” said Joe Daly, Global Managing Partner at Gallup.

Motivations vary by age and income

While information-seeking is the dominant reason Americans turn to AI for health purposes, use patterns differ by demographics. Younger adults are more likely than older adults to use AI for self-directed research—69% of adults aged 18 to 29 say they do research before seeing a doctor, compared with 43% of those 65 and older.

Income differences are most visible in barrier-driven motivations. Among adults earning less than $24,000 annually, 32% say they used AI because they could not pay for a doctor’s visit, compared with just 2% among those earning $180,000 or more.

Everyday health questions top the list of AI use cases

Americans who used AI for health information or advice in the past 30 days most often report using it to gather information about everyday health concerns, including physical symptoms (58%) and nutrition or exercise (59%).

But AI use extends beyond symptom-checking—Americans who used AI in the past 30 days also report using AI to understand medication side effects (46%), interpret medical information (44%), or research a diagnosis or medical condition (38%). Nearly one in four (24%) report using AI to explore mental health or emotional concerns.

Methodology

Results are based on a Gallup Panel study conducted Oct. 27–Dec. 22, 2025, with 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 uses random selection methods to recruit panel members, including random-digit-dial (RDD) phone interviews that cover landlines and cellphones and address-based sampling (ABS) methods. Respondents with internet access completed the questionnaire as a web survey, and those without regular internet access were sent a printed questionnaire to complete and return by mail.

The sample for this study was weighted to be demographically representative of the U.S. adult population, using the most recent Current Population Survey figures. For results based on this sample, one can say that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

Margins of error are higher for subsamples. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error and bias into the findings of public opinion polls.