AI emerges as a quiet healthcare ally as millions turn to ChatGPT for answers in US

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By TechWatch PH Staff

Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping how people navigate a strained healthcare system, with millions now turning to ChatGPT for help on everything from insurance confusion to late-night health concerns, according to a January 2026 report released by OpenAI.

The study shows that more than 5 percent of all ChatGPT messages worldwide already focus on healthcare, with over 40 million users asking health-related questions every day, underscoring AI’s growing role as an always-on digital companion in care decision-making.

Users rely on ChatGPT to make sense of complex processes that many find difficult to navigate.

OpenAI’s research found that one in four regular users submit healthcare-related prompts every week, while nearly two million messages per week are dedicated to health insurance alone, including comparing plans, understanding coverage, and handling claims and billing.

These interactions often happen when clinics are closed, with seven in ten healthcare conversations taking place outside normal clinic hours, highlighting how AI fills gaps in access and timing.

Beyond administrative concerns, the report details how ChatGPT is used to support self-advocacy and informed decision-making.

Users turn to the tool to organize medical information, translate technical jargon, prepare questions for clinicians, and better understand care instructions. In several cases cited in the report, AI-assisted guidance helped individuals recognize urgent health risks, navigate insurance appeals, and manage ongoing conditions between appointments, with outcomes later confirmed by medical professionals.

The findings also point to AI’s growing relevance in areas with limited access to care. OpenAI’s analysis shows that users in underserved and rural communities send hundreds of thousands of healthcare-related messages each week, including from so-called “hospital deserts,” where facilities are more than 30 minutes away.

In these settings, AI serves as a readily available source of information for people facing delays, long travel times, or reduced services.

Healthcare workers themselves are increasingly adopting AI tools. The report notes a sharp rise in physician use of AI for tasks such as documentation, billing, and workflow support, alongside growing weekly use among nurses, administrators, and medical librarians.

These tools are helping reduce administrative burden and reclaim time for patient care amid staffing shortages and burnout.

The report clarifies that the research focuses on user behavior within the United States, drawing from anonymized ChatGPT message data and surveys of users and healthcare professionals operating in the US healthcare system.

OpenAI emphasizes that while AI cannot replace hospitals or clinicians, tools like ChatGPT are already playing a practical role in helping people interpret information, prepare for care, and navigate system gaps, while supporting providers in their day-to-day work.