AI chatbots give inaccurate and inconsistent medical advice that could present risks to users, according to a study from the University of Oxford.
The research found people using AI for healthcare advice were given a mix of good and bad responses, making it hard to identify what advice they should trust.
In November 2025, polling by Mental Health UK found more than one in three UK residents now use AI to support their mental health or wellbeing.
Dr Rebecca Payne, lead medical practitioner on the study, said it could be "dangerous" for people to ask chatbots about their symptoms.
Researchers gave 1,300 people a scenario, such as having a severe headache or being a new mother who felt constantly exhausted.
