The Double-Edged Sword of AI Medical Consultation Tools: Navigating Between Empowerment and Exacerbated Health Anxiety

Abstract

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into healthcare, particularly through AI-based medical consultation tools (AIMCTs) like symptom checkers and health chatbots, represents a significant shift in patient engagement. These tools promise to democratize access to health information, reduce clinician burden, and empower users. However, this convenience carries a profound psychological risk: the potentiation of health anxiety. This paper explores the dual-edged nature of AIMCTs, analyzing how they alleviate uncertainty while simultaneously acting as catalysts for health anxiety, or “cyberchondria.” By synthesizing evidence on their benefits, the mechanisms of anxiety exacerbation including risk amplification, AI hallucinations, and the patterns identified in cyberchondria research, evidence-based approach to the design and deployment of AIMCTs to mitigate adverse effects and ensure they serve as responsible aids in healthcare.