The trend: 32% of US adults say they’ve used an AI chatbot for health information—double last year’s share—according to a December 2025 Rock Health survey tracking year-over-year AI usage of about 8,000 US Census-matched adults about their behaviors and attitudes toward virtual care and digital health tools.

Unpacking the trend: AI is becoming a primary research tool throughout the patient journey.

Among users who engage with chatbots for health, the most frequent queries include:

• Diagnostic and treatment support: Seeking treatment options for a known diagnosis (59%) or researching symptoms (56%)
• Medication management: Fact-checking prescription drugs and side effects (55%)
• Wellness and prevention: Inquiring about general lifestyle and preventive care (46%)
• Logistics and preparation: Navigating insurance coverage, costs, or preparing for an upcoming provider visit (28%)

And these aren’t one-off behaviors: 64% of these users engage with AI for health questions at least weekly, with 19% doing so daily.

Why it matters: Rock Health’s survey is among the first to also examine how consumers respond to AI chatbot health answers, and what actions they subsequently take. This is critical for understanding how AI-driven information shapes downstream behavior and influences real-world medical decisions.

Among the 81% of users who took a relevant action following their AI interaction, the most common next steps include:

• Validating information: 42% searched for more information online or through additional sources to verify the chatbot's response.
• Clinical consultation: 40% consulted a healthcare provider, while 22% took the logistical step of making or changing a doctor’s appointment.
• Lifestyle and behavior: 32% tried a new health behavior based on the AI's suggestion.
• Treatment adjustment: Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) reported adjusting their medication usage after their interaction.

Implications for healthcare brands and marketers: Surging use of AI as a consumer health tool points to continued adoption—and a growing share of decisions shaped by AI outputs. As AI becomes a go-to source for health information, healthcare and pharma companies will need to meet consumers at the moment of their AI query, rather than just relying on search and traditional digital ads to drive action.

• This is especially important considering genAI tools recommend products in nearly half (47%) of conversations about users’ health concerns, even when not requested, per October 2025 Profound data.

Brands must continuously assess how AI platforms prioritize sources in health responses and use those insights to refine their website content.

• For healthcare providers: The focus is on accessibility and local authority. This requires maintaining dedicated pages answering common patient questions and keeping information current on high-traffic discovery platforms like Google and Zocdoc.
• For drug manufacturers: The focus is on clinical precision and compliance. This means stress-testing AI models against specific brand-related queries to ensure the AI has access to comprehensive, plain-language product data—including FDA status, mechanism of action, and essential safety disclosures.