New Study Finds Link Between AI Chatbots and Vaccine Myths

A new report has raised concerns about how people get medical information. According to a poll released on Tuesday by the health research firm KFF, adults in the United States who frequently use artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for health advice are more likely to believe false information about vaccines. The survey, which included 2,480 adults, found a clear connection between using these digital tools and believing myths that have been proven wrong by scientists.

One common myth involves the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Many people have heard the false claim that this vaccine causes autism in children. The KFF poll found that 35% of people who use AI for health advice at least once a week believe this myth is true. In contrast, only 20% of people who do not use AI for health information hold that same belief. Other false ideas, such as the claim that mRNA vaccines can change a person’s DNA, were also more common among frequent AI users.

This issue is important because more people are turning to technology for health guidance. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has noted that health is one of the most common topics that users ask about. In response to this trend, the company even created a special tool called ChatGPT Health. However, researchers have long worried that AI could spread misinformation. Because these chatbots are designed to sound like humans, users may trust their answers even when the information is incorrect.

It is important to understand why these myths continue to exist. The idea that the MMR vaccine causes autism became popular after a study was published in the 1990s. That study was later found to be false and was fully retracted—meaning the journal that published it officially withdrew the findings. Since then, many other studies have proven that the vaccine is safe and does not cause autism. Despite this, the myth remains a central part of the anti-vaccine movement, which has gained more attention following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The KFF poll also looked at how different groups of people use technology. It found that people with higher incomes and college degrees are more likely to use AI for health advice. Meanwhile, people with lower incomes or less education are more likely to use social media for health information. Interestingly, the study found that using social media for health advice is also linked to a higher belief in vaccine myths. For example, people who use social media for health information every week are more than twice as likely to believe the myth about vaccines and autism compared to those who do not.

Experts suggest that the way AI chatbots work might be part of the problem. These systems are trained on vast amounts of information from the internet, which includes both facts and false claims. When a user asks a question, the AI tries to provide an answer based on that data. If the AI is not carefully programmed to filter out false information, it might present myths as if they were facts. This makes it difficult for the average person to know what is true and what is not.

Health officials are now looking closely at how to address this challenge. As AI becomes a bigger part of daily life, the risk of spreading medical misinformation grows. Some experts argue that AI companies must do more to ensure their tools provide accurate, science-based information. Others suggest that the public needs better education on how to check the facts they find online. For now, the best advice from health professionals remains the same: always talk to a doctor or a qualified medical expert before making decisions about your health, rather than relying solely on a computer program.