Patients feeling less sure about medical AI these days

Consumer affinity for AI in healthcare has plummeted over the past two years, a new survey report shows. 

The market research, commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, shows public openness to use of the technology in care settings dropped a full 10 percentage points in that relatively brief window—from 52% in 2024 to 42% presently.

Also taking a hit is the belief that AI can make some healthcare processes more efficient. That metric plunged from 64% in 2024 to 55% this year. 

At the same time, a majority of respondents, 51%, indicated they turned to AI—and AI alone, no medical professional in the loop—for making important health decisions. 

The single most common patient use case for AI today is seeking help understanding symptoms before making a doctor appointment. Some 62% of respondents named this scenario. 

For the 2026 study, the SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus surveyed a nationally representative swath of American adults, 1,007 in number, in January. 

Other key findings in the report, shared with HealthExec upon request, include:

Percentage who agree with the following statements about AI in healthcare:

• I am concerned about data privacy related to AI’s use in healthcare (72% indicated strongly/somewhat agree vs 71% in May ‘24)
   
• The use of AI in healthcare is scary (57% vs 56%)
   
• AI can make some healthcare processes more efficient (55% vs 64%) 
   
• I am open to AI being used as part of my care (42% vs 52%) 
   
• I am comfortable using AI tools myself to help with my healthcare (41%) (not asked in May ’24)

Percentage who use AI for the following types of healthcare assistance (among those who have used AI to make an important healthcare decision):

• To help understand symptoms before deciding whether to seek medical care (62%)
   
• To help explain test results or a medical diagnosis (44%)
   
• To compare treatment options or help make a treatment decision (25%)
   
• To prepare for an upcoming medical appointment (20%)
   
• To get help with medical billing or insurance coverage questions (16%)
   
• None of the above (12%)

In a news release, Ravi Tripathi, MD, chief health informatics officer at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, predicts the general acceptance rate will tick back up, even if only gradually.

“When we first see something new and shiny, we think it's going to fix the world and replace healthcare and solve all of our medical problems,” Tripathi explains. “People are learning that there are pros and cons to AI, where it has actual use and where it really doesn’t have a place.”

Over the next two to five years, Tripathi adds, watch for public confidence in healthcare AI to rise again “as people come to understand what the true use of AI is and as it becomes just common to all of healthcare technology.”