Artificial intelligence solutions have become a common first stop for many Hungarians seeking health information. A joint survey by PwC Magyarország and Publicis Groupe Hungary finds that people increasingly rely on AI for understanding conditions, checking symptoms and receiving lifestyle or supplement advice.
Key findings
- 74% used AI to understand disease descriptions.
- 71% used AI for symptom checking or diagnosing their symptoms.
- 61% used AI to select vitamins or dietary supplements.
- 27% consulted AI for interpreting lab results, and 22% for imaging diagnostic results.
The study also shows broader behavioural trends: six out of ten respondents use some AI solution daily, and two‑thirds primarily turn to AI for quick, easy‑to‑understand answers about private life questions. More than half of respondents encountered AI tools only in the past year, yet many already share sensitive health information with these platforms.
Trust and concerns
Respondents rated AI sources’ reliability at an average of 2.73 on a 1–5 scale. Nearly half said it is difficult to distinguish trustworthy information from algorithmic “hallucinations,” 45.9% fear inaccurate or erroneous recommendations, and many expressed concerns about the lack of professional accountability. At the same time, most users approach AI cautiously: only 7% rely exclusively on AI responses and only 9% do not verify answers they receive.
Generational differences and motivations
- Generation Y respondents most commonly cited speed as AI’s main advantage — seven out of ten Y respondents mentioned quick response as the key benefit.
- Generation Z highlighted other aspects: 33% feel their doctor does not provide sufficiently deep explanations and therefore use AI to better understand their health; 9% said they prefer talking to AI because they feel uncomfortable in medical consultations.
The research finds that Gen Z and Gen Y request personalised lifestyle advice from AI at similar rates, and Gen Z leads in using AI for therapy or treatment recommendations.
Services and preferences
Respondents said they would use validated AI solutions primarily for interpreting test results, booking appointments, symptom checking and preventive health advice. Preferred channels were mobile apps (61%), websites (65%) and pharmacy devices (12%). Given a choice between a video call with an unfamiliar on‑call doctor and an immediate deep analysis from a medical AI chatbot on their phone, 67% would prefer the personal contact.
Market and technological developments
The January 2026 launch of ChatGPT Health — currently available to a limited user group — illustrates the substantial interest in AI‑driven health services. Globally, hundreds of millions of health‑related questions are asked on the ChatGPT platform weekly, underlining user demand for AI health assistance.
Expert perspectives
Puskás Otti, manager of PwC Magyarország’s healthcare advisory team, warned that healthcare AI solutions can deliver real value only under transparent professional oversight, validation protocols and accountability mechanisms. The risk of errors in decision‑support systems — including inaccurate or insufficiently grounded responses — is particularly sensitive in healthcare, where accuracy and clinical relevance are essential.
Major Helga, media strategy director at Publicis Groupe Hungary, stressed that pharmaceutical actors should provide high‑quality, structured digital content because AI models are not always able to autonomously verify source credibility.
Conclusions
The PwC Magyarország and Publicis Groupe Hungary survey shows broad openness among Hungarian internet users to AI‑based health information: the technology’s speed and accessibility are attractive, but reliability, potential errors and accountability remain significant concerns. More than half of respondents would welcome AI services validated by medical professionals, indicating demand for regulated and professionally supervised solutions.
Methodology
The survey was commissioned by Publicis Groupe Hungary and carried out by PwC Magyarország on a representative sample of the digitally‑affine online shopping population of 5.3 million internet users (N=1,593). Initial results were presented at the “AI in Healthcare” conference; detailed data are available for purchase.
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