A recent national survey commissioned by Zocdoc reveals a growing gap between patients’ use of artificial‑intelligence chatbots for health questions and their willingness to tell their physicians about it. The study, conducted in February 2026 with over 1,000 patients and an equal number of healthcare providers, shows that more than one in five patients have hidden AI use from their doctors, and another 24% say they would keep it secret if asked.
Who’s using AI and who’s keeping it quiet?
Overall, 25% of respondents said they have asked an AI chatbot a health‑related question, a figure that nearly doubles among adults under 35. Providers report seeing more AI‑informed patients, with 85% noting an increase in the past year.
The secrecy is most pronounced among Gen Z patients: 77% admit they have hidden or would hide AI use from a provider, roughly twice the rate of older generations. Younger patients are also the most fluent with the technology, yet they are the most reluctant to discuss it during a medical visit.
Why patients fear disclosure
Patients cite three main concerns: 39% worry their doctor would judge them, 38% fear disapproval, and 31% think the doctor would dismiss their concerns entirely. These anxieties echo the experience of Dr. Adam Rodman, an internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, who says patients often try to attribute AI use to something else because they fear offending their physician.
Dr. Rodman assures patients that many doctors are already using AI tools and that he prefers patients be open about it so he can understand how the technology shaped their thinking.
Doctors’ attitudes toward AI
Despite the secrecy, 77% of providers surveyed feel positively about patients using AI for medical questions, and nearly four in five want patients to disclose AI use before a visit. Doctors see AI as a useful adjunct that can help patients clarify information, prepare better questions, and make appointments more focused.
When asked about the impact of AI on visits, 80% of providers said AI‑informed patients tend to ask more thoughtful questions, and 76% reported higher patient engagement. However, 60% also noted that AI use can add extra time to appointments, as doctors often need to correct misinformation or address overconfidence.
Best practices for integrating AI
Both patients and providers agree that the most valuable use of AI is to help prepare questions for a doctor’s visit—cited by 36% of patients and 66% of providers. Understanding test results and feeling more informed rank next on both sides.
Patients see AI as a low‑stakes way to discuss embarrassing symptoms, with one‑quarter preferring a chatbot over a doctor for such topics. Yet the lack of clinical context can lead to false confidence: 62% of patients acknowledge AI can create a false sense of security, and 41% worry about becoming overly confident in its guidance.
Building trust through openness
Trust in the patient‑doctor relationship makes a difference. Patients who report having a trusted provider are 17% more likely to disclose AI use and 14% less likely to feel more worried after consulting AI. Dr. Rodman emphasizes that a physician’s ability to see non‑verbal cues and review the full medical record provides essential context that AI alone cannot supply.
Ultimately, the study suggests that when patients and doctors bring AI use into the open, the technology can become a collaborative tool rather than a source of secrecy, helping to improve communication and care outcomes.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
