One in seven prefer consulting AI chatbots to seeing a doctor, UK study shows (www.theguardian.com)

A recent study from King’s College London revealed that one in seven people in the UK are opting to consult AI chatbots for health advice instead of visiting their GP, primarily due to long NHS waiting times. With 15% of respondents turning to chatbots, concerns arise as a fifth admitted that the AI's responses led them to forego professional medical opinions. This study marks the first quantitative assessment of chatbot usage for health inquiries, highlighting a growing trend that contrasts with traditional healthcare access methods. The findings underscore significant implications for the AI/ML community, particularly around safety and accountability in healthcare. Professor Graham Lord emphasized the emergence of an "unregulated AI healthcare system" alongside the NHS, raising alarms about the risks of misinformation embedded within AI responses. While some respondents show interest in AI's role in clinical decision-making, opinions are mixed, especially among different age groups. Experts, like Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, caution against relying on AI tools over professional healthcare, insisting that AI should complement, not replace, human judgment. As the landscape evolves, transparency and proper regulation will be critical to building public trust in these emerging technologies.