61% of US adults use AI for health information now - up from 2% in 2024

Sixty-one percent of U.S. adults now turn to AI for healthcare information. Just two years ago, that number was 2%.

That stunning shift is at the heart of Salesforce's 2026 Connected Health Consumer Report, which surveyed 3,200 people worldwide about how AI is reshaping their expectations of healthcare.

The findings reveal a system under pressure. Nearly 60% of patients delay or skip care simply because scheduling is too difficult. Almost half have abandoned calls after ten minutes on hold.

But AI is filling the gaps. Two-thirds of patients say they'd rather have 24/7 AI assistance than wait for office hours. Seventy percent say proactive AI check-ins after appointments would help them stay on track.

Trust, though, comes with conditions. Patients are three times more likely to trust an AI tool embedded in their doctor's secure portal than a public chatbot. And nearly 90% still want a human somewhere in the loop.