India Beats US, UK in Global AI Health Adoption: Report

Mumbai (IANS): India has emerged as the global leader in personal health AI adoption, with 85% of consumers already using AI-powered tools. A new report revealed on Tuesday that India sits far ahead of major developed markets in this digital shift.

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study, titled “Consumers Are Ready for AI-Enabled Health Care. Health Systems Need to Be, Too,” shows that Indian users embrace generative AI at a pace unmatched globally.

Based on a survey of over 13,000 consumers across 15 countries, the report highlights how India’s adoption rate significantly surpasses the United States (50%), the United Kingdom (43%), and Japan (34%).

While nearly 60% of respondents globally use AI for health purposes, India remains the clear frontrunner, reflecting a high level of comfort with digital healthcare tools.

The findings indicate a major shift in patient perspectives. Most consumers now prefer a hybrid medical model where AI supports human doctors rather than replacing them. This approach proves particularly popular for interpreting test results and managing chronic conditions.

The report also identifies younger generations as the primary drivers of this trend. Approximately 78% of Gen Z and 71% of Millennials report using AI for health-related tasks.

Currently, most users access AI through chatbots (33%) and wearable devices (19%), but expectations are evolving quickly. Consumers increasingly demand “agentic AI” systems that can independently book appointments, manage referrals, and flag potential drug interactions.