Asking AI About Health Isn't the Risk. The Risk Is Stopping There

What do we do today when we’re concerned about our health? For years, we’ve looked for answers online, from people we trust, or directly from a healthcare professional. Today, for many, the first option is to ask AI. In fact, search engines have recognized that AI is a primary source of information for users and display it as the top result in search results. An analysis by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence found that Google currently displays AI-generated summaries in up to 92% of health-related searches (1). The question, then, is no longer whether people will use AI to learn about their health, but what they will do after getting their answer.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted that artificial intelligence is already transforming health systems and that its adoption must be accompanied by safeguards that ensure safety, equity, transparency, and trust (2). In an assessment of 50 countries in the European Region, the WHO found that 32 (equivalent to 64%) were already using AI to support diagnoses and that half had incorporated AI chatbots for patient interaction and support (3).

Immediate access to information can be an extraordinary tool: it makes it easier to understand medical concepts and find guidance. But in healthcare, information and clinical knowledge are not the same thing. An answer may be clear and convincing, yet still lack the context needed to make a decision about a patient’s health. The challenge is not to prevent people from using these tools, but to help them understand what steps to take to seek professional care in order to improve their health.

That is precisely where we are evolving the Doctoralia experience. As part of our ninth anniversary in Mexico, and in line with our mission to help people live longer and healthier lives, we are launching Nova, a new artificial intelligence agent that allows patients to express their needs in everyday language and, based on that search, find professionals who can treat their condition and schedule an appointment. Nova does not seek to diagnose or replace medical judgment; it aims to facilitate the connection between a patient’s need and the right professional.

Evolving the Patient's Digital Experience

Nova represents an evolution of the patient’s digital experience, designed to support patients before, during, and after an appointment. Through Doctoralia, patients can view professional profiles, read verified reviews, check availability, and schedule appointments in real time. They can also manage payments, pre-appointment consultations, instructions, appointment details, rescheduling, and cancellations all in one place.

In addition, Nova gives patients back control over their medical records. Users can store documents in a digital file, upload or scan them, and share them with healthcare professionals before or during an appointment. An AI-powered feature summarizes relevant information from these documents to make them easier to understand and facilitate more informed conversations with healthcare professionals. We’ve also incorporated tools to display lab results in a more understandable way and manage care for different family members from a single account.

All of this stems from a simple idea: healthcare doesn’t begin or end in the doctor’s office. As healthcare incorporates digital tools, the way patients seek information, prepare for an appointment, manage their needs, and follow up on their care also changes. Technology can help connect these moments, provided it is designed around people’s needs and in coordination with healthcare professionals.

Perhaps in the future, the first question we all ask about our health will be directed at artificial intelligence. I don’t think that’s necessarily bad news. What matters is what decisions we make based on that answer. If technology can bring us one step closer to the right specialist and strengthen continuity of care, then artificial intelligence won’t be replacing the doctor-patient relationship. It will help to strengthen it.

Sources:

1. Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. (2026). AI Index Report 2026: Chapter 6—Medicine. Stanford University. https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2026-ai-index-report/medicine 
2. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. (2025). Artificial intelligence is reshaping health systems: State of readiness across the WHO European Region. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2025-12707-52481-81028 
3. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. (2025). Artificial intelligence is reshaping health systems: State of readiness across the WHO European Region. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2025-12707-52481-81028