Volha Rahalskaya/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET's key takeaways
People are turning to AI for health advice.
It can get lots wrong.
One doctor offers her advice on using AI.
You can find health advice anywhere these days, regardless of credibility or medical expertise.
This increased information availability has changed how people interact with medical professionals -- or whether they trust them in the first place. This broader access to health-related guidance also arrives amid historically low levels of trust in the healthcare system. A new poll from the Annenberg Public Policy Center finds that public trust in federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health decreased by 5-7% over the past year.
Whether or not the tech world is capitalizing on this declining trust, it's certainly making medical alternatives more convenient. The reality is that people are turning to this often free, always available, and quick-to-use technology for answers that a doctor or medical professional would once provide. A recent survey found that 63% of respondents find AI-generated health information reliable, according to Annenberg.
... continue reading