While unexpected responses can be an annoying obstacle in many other fields, in healthcare they can be a matter of life and death. According to a new report from OpenAI, ChatGPT users worldwide are sending billions of messages weekly to the chatbot for medical advice. Based on anonymous ChatGPT user data, more than half of users ask ChatGPT to check or investigate symptoms, while others use it to decode medical terminology or get more information about treatment options. These numbers to some extent reflect the dire state of the US healthcare system, especially with patients struggling to pay high medical bills. In a study conducted by OpenAI, as reported by the Gizmodo news site, three out of five Americans see the current system as flawed, with the most prominent issue being hospital costs. Citing data from the American Medical Association, OpenAI stated that 46% of American nurses use AI weekly. This report comes as OpenAI boosts its investments in AI for healthcare, despite concerns about accuracy and privacy associated with the technology's use. Many believe AI in healthcare is a promising field with huge potential to ease the burden on medical workers. However, it is also a controversial area, as AI is prone to errors. The study found that 7 out of every 10 healthcare-related conversations occur outside of official clinic hours. Approximately 200 million out of ChatGPT's over 800 million regular users send healthcare-related inquiries weekly, while over 40 million users do so daily.
