Patients want AI's help — just not with their personal data

Americans are embracing AI in their daily lives — 40% use it at least once a day — but a new Wolters Kluwer survey (conducted by Ipsos, n=254 U.S. patients) reveals a clear trust gap when it comes to healthcare. While roughly 1 in 4 patients say AI prompted them to seek care sooner after researching symptoms, far fewer are willing to use it for tasks that require sharing personal health information.

The hesitation is rooted in real concerns: more than 70% of respondents worry about the privacy of their protected health information, 72% flag AI bias as a concern, and 69% are wary of AI "hallucinations" — confidently wrong outputs. Women and rural patients expressed heightened anxiety compared to other groups.

By the Numbers:

• 89% say AI health responses need human expert validation
• ~30% would use AI to find a healthcare provider
• 28% would use AI to build a personal wellness plan
• 19% would use AI to navigate insurance coverage
• ~50% want federal testing and approval for AI health tools, similar to drug oversight

Why it matters: The survey signals that healthcare organizations can't just deploy AI — they need to earn patient trust through transparent governance, clear accountability standards, and formal oversight frameworks. Without that, even the most useful AI tools risk going unused.