More than one-third of young adults turn to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for information about drugs, alcohol and substance use, according to a new study by Rutgers Health researchers. The findings raise concerns about the reliability of AI-generated health information and its potential influence on substance-use behaviour among young people.
Researchers analysed survey data from nearly 1,000 participants to examine how frequently people use generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to obtain substance-related information. They also investigated the characteristics of users and their perceptions of the information these tools provide.
Generative AI is a subfield of artificial intelligence that creates content in response to user prompts. According to recent survey data from the Pew Research Center, 66% of young adults use AI to search for information, seek medical advice and perform other tasks. The Rutgers team sought to understand how this growing use of AI extends specifically to questions about substances and substance use.
Published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research, the study found that approximately one in three people aged 18 to 29 use AI for substance-use-related information. Participants primarily sought information about the risks and consequences of substance use.
AI Chatbots Raise Concerns About Substance-Use Misinformation
Although AI chatbots offer a convenient way to access information, researchers are concerned that the tools can reproduce misinformation, potentially influencing users to make unsafe decisions about drugs and alcohol.
“Using these tools can lead to misinformed or otherwise risky substance-use behavior among young people, who are the age group most affected by adverse effects of substance use,” said Mireia Triguero Roura, a postdoctoral researcher with the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science at the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research and lead author of the study.
The researchers highlighted the importance of understanding how young adults interpret AI-generated responses, particularly when seeking information that could affect their health and behaviour.
The study also found that AI use for substance-related information was not necessarily occasional. About half of the respondents who used AI for this purpose reported doing so at least once a month, indicating that chatbots have become a recurring source of information for some young adults.
The researchers identified differences in AI use across demographic groups. Black participants and male participants were more likely to use AI tools for substance-use-related purposes.
These differences may reflect broader variations in how people access health information, seek medical guidance and interact with healthcare systems.
“The observed disparities in who chooses to use AI for drug-related inquiries could reflect differences in healthcare access, stigma, trust, and health information-seeking behaviors,” said Triguero Roura.
The findings highlight the need for further investigation into why certain groups are more likely to turn to AI chatbots for information about substances. Understanding these patterns could help researchers and public health professionals develop more effective ways to communicate reliable health information to young adults.
Young Adults Report High Trust in AI-Generated Information
The study also examined how participants perceived AI tools. Researchers found that young adults reported high levels of trust in the tools, viewing them as reliable and helpful sources of information.
These perceptions are significant because users who trust AI-generated responses may be more likely to rely on them when making decisions about substance use.
However, the study’s findings raise questions about whether users can accurately assess the reliability of AI-generated information, particularly when responses contain misleading or incorrect claims.
The researchers suggest that understanding how young adults evaluate and interpret chatbot responses will be important as AI becomes a more prominent source of health information.
As AI continues to influence how young adults access information about drugs and alcohol, the researchers emphasise the need for further studies into the consequences of this trend.
Triguero Roura and Pia M. Mauro, an associate professor at the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science and the Rutgers School of Public Health, suggest that future research should examine how young adults understand and interpret AI-generated information about substances.
Researchers also want to investigate the implications of using AI chatbots as a source of substance-use information for public health.
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