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A Medical Xpress report describes research suggesting that older adults are using AI chatbots and voice assistants for health information, while warning that chatbot answers can be inaccurate and users may not verify them. The researcher recommends “informed skepticism”: use available source-checking tools, avoid sharing identifying details and treat AI as a supplement—not a substitute—for professional care.
The report says a 2025 survey of 300 adults found that about one in five respondents used AI chatbots to ask health questions, such as questions about symptoms, diet or fitness. In a separate poll conducted by the researcher and colleagues that year, one in two older adults reported using AI chatbots or voice assistants, and about 14% of that group said they used them to access health information. These figures describe the surveys cited in the report; the supplied material does not establish that they represent all adults or older adults.
Chatbots can respond quickly, explain complicated subjects in simpler terms and make it easier to raise sensitive questions, the report says. But their fluent answers may still be wrong. The researcher warns that chatbots can misclassify conditions, provide unsafe advice in emergencies or agree with a user’s assumptions instead of giving accurate information—a tendency known as “sycophancy.”
The report also points to a verification gap: among the 300 adults in the cited health-chatbot survey, four in five said they never checked the chatbot’s output. The researcher’s work found that older adults using voice assistants often preferred to start and finish a search on the same device, which could make them less likely to follow an answer to another source. That finding suggests why verification guidance needs to fit how people actually use the tools.
The Stakes of AI Health Answers
For older adults managing chronic conditions or new diagnoses, quick explanations may help them prepare questions and make health information easier to understand. Chatbots can also let people seek information at home, where they may feel more in control than in a clinical conversation, the researcher says. Those benefits matter most when users can distinguish a useful explanation from advice that needs checking.
The risks are practical: a confident but incorrect answer could confuse someone about symptoms or care, while a chatbot’s agreement with a user can reinforce a mistaken assumption. The report does not show that the cited surveys measured resulting health outcomes. Its central point is narrower: access and speed do not guarantee accuracy, so chatbot responses should not replace a clinician’s judgment, especially for urgent concerns.
Privacy is another concern. The report says public chatbot providers may retain prompts to train future models. Users who enter identifying or sensitive health details may not know how that information is stored or used. The researcher recommends avoiding personally identifiable information when asking general questions.
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How Older Adults Use These Tools
The report challenges the stereotype that older adults are uniformly reluctant or inexperienced technology users. It describes use of mainstream chatbots, including ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, as well as voice assistants such as Siri and Alexa and services connected to health providers. The cited poll’s figures indicate use among respondents, but the source material does not provide enough methodological detail to assess how representative the results are.
AI features also appear within search engines, so people may encounter generated summaries without opening a separate chatbot. The report contrasts services that ask users to opt into AI with those that display AI-generated material by default. It says Google Search users can add “-ai” to a query to remove AI content from results, a step the researcher suggests may be useful for sensitive searches.
The report notes that the Aging with AI Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate in 2026, highlights the need for research into AI’s potential benefits and risks for older people. The supplied material does not give the bill’s provisions or legislative status beyond its introduction.
““The most productive way of engaging with health information generated by an AI chatbot is from a position of informed skepticism.””
— The researcher, writing in the Medical Xpress report
Limits of the Available Evidence
The supplied report does not provide full survey methods, participant demographics or enough detail to determine how broadly the 2025 findings apply. The figures should be read as results from the cited surveys, not as definitive estimates for every older adult. It also does not quantify how often chatbot errors lead to harm or compare health outcomes among users and nonusers.
It remains unclear which verification features people use most, whether guidance changes checking habits, and how different chatbot providers retain or use health-related prompts. The report says many tools display warnings about mistakes, but those notices can be easy to miss; it does not establish that every service has the same warning or data practices.
Practical Checks Before Trusting Answers
The researcher recommends learning how to opt out of AI features when appropriate and using chatbot tools that show or link to sources. Users can compare an answer with reliable published health information and take unresolved questions to a qualified health professional. The report does not present these steps as a substitute for care, and urgent symptoms should not be assessed solely through a chatbot.
People can also limit what they share: avoid names, contact details and other identifying information in prompts, particularly when asking about sensitive health matters. The source material does not specify a single privacy setting or verification method that works across all services, so users may need to check the policies and controls of the tool they use.
Further research and policy discussion are expected as AI use among older adults grows. The 2026 introduction of the Aging with AI Act is one sign of that attention, but the report does not say what action Congress may take next. For now, its guidance is to treat AI as a starting point for understanding—not the final authority on a health decision.
Key Questions
Can older adults use AI chatbots for health information?
Yes, they can use them to get explanations or help form questions, but the report advises checking answers rather than treating them as medical guidance. Chatbots can produce inaccurate information.
How many older adults in the cited poll used AI for health information?
A 2025 poll by the researcher and colleagues found that one in two older adults surveyed used AI chatbots or voice assistants; about 14% of that group accessed health information through them. The report does not establish that the poll represents all older adults.
What does “informed skepticism” mean here?
It means remaining open to AI tools while evaluating the credibility and quality of their responses—for example, by checking linked sources or comparing information with reliable publications.
Should users enter private medical details into public chatbots?
The researcher recommends not including personally identifiable information. The report says public chatbot companies may retain prompts, but it does not describe the data practices of every provider.
What should someone do if a chatbot gives advice about an urgent health problem?
The report warns that chatbots can provide incorrect advice in medical emergencies. A chatbot should not replace professional assessment; contact an appropriate health professional or emergency service for urgent concerns.
Source: medicalxpress.com
