How patients feel about AI in healthcare
Oct 09, 2026 | 3 minute read
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From detecting the first signs of disease to informing treatment decisions, AI can help shape the moments that matter most to patients. But what do patients themselves think about AI’s growing role in healthcare?
The 2026 Philips Future Health Index surveyed more than 20,000 patients across 10 countries, alongside more than 2,000 clinicians. The findings reveal where patients see the greatest promise for AI in healthcare, what it will take to earn their trust, and how they are already bringing AI into their own care.
1. Patients see AI as a way to become better informed
For many of us, having a health concern once meant searching health websites or asking friends and family for advice. Now, patients are increasingly turning to generative AI for initial guidance. Sixty percent of patients in the 2026 Future Health Index say generative AI has helped them recognize when they should see a doctor. Among those who use it for health information, 74% say it saves them time finding information, preparing for appointments or understanding a diagnosis. In addition, 61% report feeling more informed about their health. Yet feeling better informed does not necessarily mean making the right choices. A study published in Nature Medicine earlier this year found that asking AI about medical symptoms does not help patients make better decisions about their health than other methods, such as a standard internet search [1]. So whether patients’ growing use of AI translates into actual benefits for their health remains to be seen.
2. AI is changing the conversation between clinicians and patients
Because patients are using AI to learn more about their health issues before they seek care, many are entering the clinician’s office with hypotheses already in mind. Patients who use AI for health information say these tools help them ask their doctor better questions (61%) and make the most of their appointment (55%). Yet they are met with mixed responses from healthcare professionals. Among AI-using patients who brought health information to a healthcare professional, 42% report a positive clinician response, while 44% report a negative one. From a clinician’s perspective, this hesitation is understandable. Sixty-nine percent say they have had to correct AI-generated misinformation. As patients increasingly turn to AI, clinicians will have an important role in helping them distinguish useful information from advice that may be inaccurate or irrelevant for their individual situation.
3. Patients see potential for AI to expand healthcare access
Beyond helping them become more informed about their own health, patients also see potential for AI to make care more accessible. Fifty-eight percent believe AI could make healthcare easier to access for people who struggle to get care, while 56% think it will improve access to care in rural areas. That potential is already being explored in underserved communities. For example, in rural Kenya, an AI-enabled application for handheld ultrasound is being piloted to help midwives and nurses assess pregnancies and identify when additional care may be needed. Such initiatives could help bring diagnostic support closer to patients.
4. Experience with AI affects patient attitudes
While patients are generally positive about AI’s potential to improve healthcare, their views differ depending on how familiar they are with it in daily life. The 2026 Future Health Index found that 70% of patients who regularly use AI are optimistic that it can improve healthcare. That figure falls to 32% for patients who do not use AI at all. This pattern is consistent with other research. One international study of hospital patients across 43 countries found that those with greater AI knowledge and more frequent use of technology tended to hold more positive views of AI in healthcare [2]. But familiarity with AI was only part of the story. Health status also made a difference: patients in poorer health were less likely to view AI positively than those in very good health. The practical implication for healthcare professionals? Don’t assume every patient will respond to the use of AI in their care in the same way. Patients with less experience of the technology, or those in poorer health, may need additional support to understand the role AI plays in their care.
5. Patients want to know when AI is involved in their own care
Whatever their level of familiarity with AI, patients are clear about one expectation: they want doctors to be transparent about the use of AI. Eighty-nine percent say they should be told when AI is used in their care. But disclosure does not automatically build trust, especially when it comes after the fact. Thirty-nine percent of clinicians say they have seen patients lose trust after discovering that AI was involved in their care. This suggests that doctors should raise the subject early, so patients do not later feel that AI was used without their knowledge. Perhaps patients may also find reassurance in knowing that clinicians overwhelmingly see AI as a tool that supports their own judgment, rather than replacing it. Ninety percent of clinicians say it’s essential to keep a human in the loop as AI advances, and 86% say all AI outputs require human oversight. Explaining to patients what that oversight looks like could go a long way towards building trust. Because when it comes to decisions about our health, many of us still want to know that a qualified professional remains responsible for our care. Download the full 2026 Philips Future Health Index global report for more survey findings
References:
[1] Bean, A.M., Payne, R.E., Parsons, G. et al. Reliability of LLMs as medical assistants for the general public: a randomized preregistered study. Nat Med 32, 609–615 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-04074-y
[2] Busch F., Hoffmann L., Xu L., Zhang L.J., Hu B., García-Juárez I., et al. Multinational Attitudes Toward AI in Health Care and Diagnostics Among Hospital Patients. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Jun 2;8(6):e2514452. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40493367/
