The Rise of Fake AI Doctors: A Growing Danger to Public Health

In recent months, a concerning trend has emerged on social media platforms like TikTok: the rise of AI-generated doctors. These are not real medical professionals, but computer-created avatars designed to look and sound like doctors. According to research published by the digital marketing agency Hallam, these fake accounts are gaining millions of views by sharing medical advice that is often completely false. Experts warn that this trend is a serious risk to public safety, as people may believe these fake experts over real doctors.

The research analyzed nearly 1,200 videos and found that AI-generated content appeared in 40% of the top health-related videos on TikTok. For some searches, such as “health tips,” the number was even higher, with 84% of the content being created or assisted by artificial intelligence. On average, these videos received 2.5 million views each. This means that a large number of people are being exposed to medical myths every day.

Dr. Emma Runswick, the deputy chair of the British Medical Association council, stated that these AI accounts often promote “medical myths and so-called miracle cures.” Some of the claims found in these videos include the idea that using deodorants, sleeping near a mobile phone, or microwaving food in plastic can cause cancer. These claims have been officially refuted — or proven false — by Cancer Research UK. Other videos have promoted strange and potentially harmful remedies, such as mixing Coca-Cola with onion to treat pain, or selling fake products that claim to stop aging.

The impact of this misinformation is being felt in real-world clinics. Prof. Frankie Swords, the national medical director at NHS England, noted that many doctors are seeing more patients who feel worried or confused because of false advice they found online. These patients are often looking for quick answers, but they are finding content that was created only to get more clicks and views. Prof. Victoria Tzortziou Brown, president of the Royal College of GPs, added that this misleading content carries a “real risk” of harm to the public.

Why is this happening now? Experts suggest that the technology to create realistic-looking avatars has become much easier to use, allowing people to create “industrialized” amounts of fake content. Alex Ruani, a researcher at UCL who studies health misinformation, described the situation as a “frightening amount of exposure” to false medical content. She believes that these accounts are taking advantage of the trust that people usually have in doctors.

This is a growing problem because more people are turning to social media for health information. A poll conducted by Savanta for Healthwatch England found that about one in five people in England now use social media to look for health advice. William Pett, a policy director at Healthwatch England, explained that many people do not have the skills to tell the difference between reliable information and commercial hype or misinformation. Without these skills, it is very easy for the public to be misled by professional-looking AI avatars.

In response to these findings, there is growing pressure on social media companies to do more. Dr. Runswick argued that platforms like TikTok must take stronger action to stop the spread of dangerous medical advice. Otherwise, she warned, the public could pay the price with their health or even their lives. When the Guardian shared examples of these fake videos with TikTok, the platform removed them. However, experts believe that removing individual videos is not enough to solve the larger problem.

As AI technology continues to improve, it will likely become even harder to distinguish between a real doctor and a computer-generated one. For now, medical experts are urging the public to be very careful about where they get their health information. They recommend that people always check official sources, such as the NHS or reputable medical organizations, rather than trusting advice from social media influencers, even if those influencers appear to be doctors. The battle against online medical misinformation is far from over, and it remains a significant challenge for public health in the digital age.