Ohio State survey finds public comfort with AI in health care has fallen

Public comfort with AI in health care has fallen, according to a new Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center survey.

The poll found that 42% of U.S. adults support AI being used as part of health care, down from 52% in 2024. At the same time, 51% of adults said they used AI to make an important health decision without consulting a medical professional.

The survey was fielded from Jan. 16 to Jan. 20, 2026, among 1,007 U.S. adults. Reported uses included understanding symptoms, explaining test results or diagnoses, comparing treatment options and preparing for appointments.

Ohio State said the results suggest people are increasingly willing to use AI for health information, even as trust in medical AI appears to be weakening. The release did not claim AI should replace clinicians, but it pointed to a growing gap between usage and comfort.

The survey was published on April 7 and has been echoed by same-day syndicated coverage.

For hospitals, clinicians and health-tech firms, the findings are another sign that consumer acceptance of AI in medicine remains mixed and may depend on where and how the tools are used.