AI tools can give inaccurate health information

A recent report by the Guardian, a UK news publication, has found that artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as Google’s AI Overview sometimes give health information that is wrong or could be harmful. In some cases, the advice given was the opposite of what doctors recommend.

Another concern is where AI gets its information from. Research has found that some of the most common sources used by ChatGPT, another popular AI chatbot, include Reddit and Wikipedia. Reddit is a social media site where users manage their own content, and Wikipedia can be edited by anyone. Neither of these sources meets the high standards needed to verify health and scientific information.

Dimitris Kontopidis, Chair of the European Lung Foundation, said:

“When people are searching for health information, they need to be confident that the answers come from credible, peer-reviewed sources. Some AI tools connect to live internet searches and pull information from unverified sources like social media. Others rely on training data that may be months or years out of date.

“Both approaches pose risks when medical knowledge advances constantly, and accessing the most current, recommended information can be critical for patient safety. AI tools must meet the same rigorous standards we expect from medical professionals and health organisations.”

If you use AI tools to search for health information, it is important to check that the information comes from trusted sources, such as medical organisations and health charities or has been checked by a qualified health professional.

Misinformation, which is the spread of false information, is a risk to public health and trust in science. ELF and the European Respiratory Society are running a joint campaign to defend and protect science from threats like this. You can support the campaign by downloading resources and spreading the word in your community.

• Learn more and support our campaign – social media content is available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish
• Read the full article on the ERS website