More Czechs turning to AI for health advice; doctors warn against relying on chatbots
More people in Czechia are turning to artificial intelligence for health advice, including mental health support. While chatbots can help explain medical information and give basic advice on minor ailments, doctors warn that relying on them for diagnoses or treatment decisions can be dangerous. A new guide aims to help patients use the technology safely.
According to the results of a 2026 survey, one in two Czechs turn to AI for health advice. In the 18 to 34 age group, 76 percent of respondents said they do so quite often.
Chatbots are available around the clock and provide immediate answers. Users also appreciate their ability to explain complicated medical information in simple terms and what they perceive as a more sympathetic and less judgmental approach.
Nearly a third of Czech adults said they had used AI in connection with their mental health because they are always available in need and easy to confide in.
Doctors warn that while chatbots are useful in providing basic information and advice on minor ailments they should not replace a consultation with a physician.
General practitioner Pavel Sova says he has encountered patients who consult AI about problems of an acute or chronic nature. For example, when they are not sufficiently satisfied with their treatment or have recurring problems. He says trusting a chatbot more than their doctor is dangerous.
"I always welcome a proactive approach to health, whether someone reads specialist articles or uses AI. But it is important to put this information into a proper medical context. Patients should be open to what their doctor tells them, rather than sometimes stubbornly sticking to what artificial intelligence has advised them to do," Sova adds.
The risks involved are confirmed by public surveys. Around 13 percent of Czech respondents who had consulted AI about their health said they had postponed or skipped a visit to the doctor as a result. Another 8 percent admitted to having dropped their prescribed medication without consulting a medical professional.
Doctors are emphasizing the dangers of self-diagnosis with the help of AI. One of the main problems is that chatbots have no access to a patient's complete medical history, family background or current medication. They can also produce convincing but inaccurate answers, sometimes telling users what they want to hear.
Matěj Misař of the Czech Association of Artificial Intelligence warns that AI systems may hallucinate.
"Sometimes they make up sources and invent various articles. This is extremely dangerous, especially when we consider that this is not artificial intelligence advising you whether to buy a blue or a red sofa, but a system into which you enter your health information and ask what is wrong with you," he says.
In view of the growing trend of using chatbots for health advice, the Czech Medical Association, the Czech Association of Artificial Intelligence and the Health Ministry have jointly prepared a new guide for patients warning of the possible risks involved and giving advice on how to make the best use of chatbots in health matters.
The new guide stresses that AI can be a useful tool for navigating medical information, helping prepare questions for a doctor’s appointment or explain a medical procedure that the patient is to undergo, but it cannot replace a medical examination or the professional judgement of a GP or specialist.
