Artificial intelligence is no longer a fringe tool in healthcare; it is fast becoming a first point of contact for millions of people navigating illness. Fresh data released by OpenAI suggests that healthcare-related queries now form a significant share of global conversations on ChatGPT, underscoring how deeply AI has entered everyday health decision-making.
According to the report, over 5 per cent of all ChatGPT messages globally are about healthcare, translating into billions of health-related interactions every week. More strikingly, one in four weekly active users worldwide prompts ChatGPT about healthcare at least once a week, while over 40 million users seek healthcare-related information on the platform every single day.
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These numbers show that AI is no longer just an information tool, it’s becoming a companion in moments of health anxiety, confusion and urgency, say experts.
The data also highlights when and why users are turning to ChatGPT. Nearly seven out of ten healthcare conversations take place outside normal clinic hours, pointing to a widening gap between healthcare demand and availability, especially during nights, weekends and emergencies when professional advice may be harder to access.
For many users, ChatGPT is filling in where healthcare systems fall short, such as explaining symptoms, decoding medical reports, understanding treatment options, and helping people prepare questions before seeing a doctor.
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“People are not replacing doctors with AI, but they are using it to feel more informed and less helpless,” noted a health policy expert.
In the United States, the report reveals that nearly two million messages every week focus solely on health insurance, including understanding coverage, comparing plans, handling claims, and resolving billing disputes.
The trend is clearly visible in India as well, where rising healthcare costs, overcrowded hospitals and limited consultation time are pushing patients to seek preliminary guidance online.
Indians are increasingly turning to ChatGPT for help, understanding symptoms, interpreting lab reports, decoding prescriptions, managing chronic conditions, and even preparing questions before visiting a doctor.
"Even for something as basic as a cold and cough, I ask ChatGPT to advise me on what to do. Every time the paediatrician prescribes medicines for my little one, I have this compelling urge to put up the prescription on the app and ask ChatGPT to break down the prescription for me. It gives me an excellent insight into what each drug contains, its benefits, as well as side effects, if any. I trust ChatGPT as my friend who is always by my side and will give me advice no matter what time of the day or night it is," says Kalpana Swamy, a homemaker from Malad in Mumbai.
From urban professionals seeking quick clarity late at night to patients in smaller towns with limited specialist access, AI is emerging as a first stop for health-related queries. Doctors say that people often come to us after already having a basic understanding of their condition through AI tools.
Public health experts and doctors, however, caution that while such platforms can improve health literacy and empower patients, they cannot replace clinical judgement. “AI can guide, not diagnose. The real challenge is ensuring users know where to draw the line,” said Dr Shah, a family physician based in Mumbai.
As per the report, the surge in AI-led healthcare conversations also mirrors broader systemic distress. In the US, public confidence in healthcare quality has fallen to a 24-year low, according to Gallup data cited in the report. A majority of Americans now believe the system is fundamentally broken, citing high hospital costs, poor access and staff shortages.
Against this backdrop, ChatGPT has emerged as an unexpected ally for both patients and providers, helping users self-advocate and make sense of complex medical decisions.
OpenAI positions this trend not as a replacement for medical professionals, but as an early indicator of how AI could support healthcare delivery in the “intelligence age.”
The report hints at future policy reforms, AI-assisted healthcare navigation, and innovation across life sciences and clinical care.
As healthcare systems struggle with access, affordability and trust, the growing role of conversational AI raises urgent questions: How should AI be regulated in healthcare? How do we ensure accuracy and equity? And can technology truly reduce, rather than deepen, health disparities?
For now, one thing is clear: millions of people are already treating AI as part of their healthcare journey, often before they ever see a doctor.