'Doctor ChatGPT' needs human back-up, US researchers warn

Experts believe more and more people without easy and affordable access to health care will resort to AI chatbots like ChatGPT in future. — Photo: Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa

SAN FRANCISCO: Even before the Covid pandemic, consulting "Doctor Google" was becoming an increasingly common prelude to a visit to a GP.

Then during the pandemic, a British survey suggested that upwards of 60% of people were putting their symptoms into the search engine before or even instead of getting the opinion of a professional.