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Pew survey finds majority of Americans want disclosure when healthcare providers use AI

A survey of nearly 3,500 adults highlights growing public demand for transparency in medical settings alongside widespread use of AI health chatbots.

The short version

  • A Pew Research Center survey indicates that 72% of U.S. adults believe it is highly important for medical providers to disclose their use of artificial intelligence.
  • While about one in three adults have used AI chatbots for health questions, 47% remain uncertain whether AI has ever been involved in their own medical treatment.
  • Patients commonly use health chatbots for convenience and cost savings, but public comfort with sharing personal health data with AI models remains split.

Key facts

  • A Pew Research Center poll of 3,488 U.S. adults conducted June 22–28 found that 72% think it is extremely or very important for healthcare providers to disclose any use of AI.[CNET]
  • Eighty percent of survey respondents want to be informed if AI is directly involved in care or treatment decisions, such as diagnosing conditions or reviewing medical scans and lab results.[CNET]
  • Roughly one-third of U.S. adults have queried AI chatbots regarding health matters, with 25% of overall respondents using them to diagnose symptoms.[CNET]
  • Among users who turned to chatbots for health inquiries, 47% rated the returned information as extremely helpful, while 48% found it somewhat helpful.[CNET]
  • Nearly half of all respondents (47%) reported being unsure whether AI has ever been utilized in their medical treatment.[CNET]
  • Public comfort with sharing health data remains divided, with 29% expressing high comfort in sharing personal medical information with chatbots and 26% reporting discomfort.[CNET]

What remains uncertain

  • The full extent to which medical providers currently incorporate undisclosed AI into clinical decisions remains uncertain, as 47% of patients cannot state if AI has been part of their care.[CNET]

Sources