Overview
- Polls published Thursday show 1 in 7 UK adults would prefer AI chatbot advice to seeing a doctor, with 25% citing NHS waiting lists and 46% citing convenience as reasons for turning to chatbots.
- Among people who used AI for health questions, 59% said it helped their physical health and 53% said it helped their mental health, while BetterHelp research found 81% reported benefits for stress, sleep, or relationships.
- Clinical safety alarms remain: the MHRA has advised chatbots should not replace professional care and a Nature Medicine study found ChatGPT Health mis-triaged more than half of medical emergencies and often missed signs of suicidal ideation.
- A significant minority report harm from chatbot advice, with roughly one in five saying it discouraged them from seeking professional care and large shares warning about dependence, loss of human contact, and privacy risks.
- Younger adults are most opposed to clinical AI use and campaigners warn substitution pressure could worsen NHS strain and deepen health inequalities for people affected by digital poverty, making regulatory action and hybrid care models key things to watch.