A new Pew Research Center survey finds that 34% of US adults now use AI chatbots for at least one health-related task — up sharply as AI tools go mainstream for medical questions.
The survey of 3,488 US adults (June 22–28, 2026) shows the top uses are: getting quick health information (28%), understanding what is causing symptoms (25%) — i.e. one in four uses AI to self-diagnose — and accessing lower-cost information (22%).
Users overwhelmingly praise the answers: 47% say the information was extremely helpful and 48% somewhat helpful. Yet only 29% are comfortable sharing their personal health data with these tools — a trust gap that defines the market right now.
Adoption skews young and diverse: 56% of Asian American adults and 44% of adults under 30 have used chatbots for health purposes.
There is a darker side too. In a companion finding, Americans say on balance that chatbots do more harm than help for people dealing with loneliness, depression or stress — even as high-profile AI companion cases dominate the debate.
The trajectory is clear: KFF data shows monthly AI health-tool use climbing from 17% in 2024 to 29%, and now 34% in Pew’s latest reading. Health AI is no longer experimental — it is consumer behavior. The winners will be the companies that solve the trust problem, not just the technology one.
Source: Pew Research Center, August 25, 2026.
