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According to this new study, one in two French people use artificial intelligence for health-related questions

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The Editor

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Understanding a diagnosis, interpreting blood test results, or finding answers while waiting for a medical appointment… More and more French people are turning to artificial intelligence for their health questions, according to this new study revealed on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of everyday life for French people, including when it comes to health. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot are now being used to get quick answers, better understand a medical problem or decipher information provided by a doctor. And according to the "Data and AI in Health" barometer from the Association of the Digital Economy (Acsel), revealed this Wednesday morning by RMC, one in two French people has already used AI in this context. A practice particularly widespread among young people, but which also raises concerns among healthcare professionals.


Immediate answers and a lack of appointments or mea

The study reveals that 82% of under-35s use artificial intelligence for health questions. A figure that particularly illustrates the appeal these accessible tools hold for younger generations—available anytime, judgment-free. For many, AI helps them better understand the medical information they receive. 71% of users surveyed turn to it to better understand a diagnosis after a doctor's appointment. Test results, medical terminology, or explanations that are sometimes hard to grasp… Chatbots have become a way to extend the consultation and find answers to lingering questions.

"French people need to better understand what their doctor is telling them, or better grasp blood test results," explains David Lavaud, director of the Acsel think tank, when interviewed by RMC. But the use of AI isn't limited to a need for clarification. For some, it's also becoming a solution to difficulties accessing care. 44% of respondents say they use these tools due to lack of medical appointments, while 38% cite a lack of financial means to consult.


A transformed patient-doctor relationship

The speed of responses, their accessibility, and ease of use partly explain this enthusiasm. Users can ask their questions anytime, r

rephrase their concerns and get explanations without having to wait. A convenience that meets a real need, but which also raises questions about the place these tools are gradually taking in the care pathway, also changing the relationship between patients and doctors. Patients sometimes arrive at appointments with information already gathered from a chatbot, seeking to confirm a diagnosis or expecting further explanations. The relationship of trust is evolving, and the doctor is no longer necessarily the only person patients turn to in order to understand their health.

But healthcare professionals aren't standing outside this digital revolution. According to figures detailed by Le Parisien, nine out of ten healthcare professionals among the 300 surveyed in this study are also using artificial intelligence "at least from time to time, or even on a daily basis". These tools help them refine a diagnosis, analyze clinical data, or free themselves from certain administrative tasks. Which doesn't diminish their concerns. While professionals acknowledge the possibilities offered by these technologies, they remain generally worried about their accessibility and the risk of placing excessive trust in the answers provided. Because trust given without scrutiny...

verification can lead to misleading interpretations, even bad decisions.