How AI is transforming mental and physical health

James McCay

Mar 18, 2026

The AI revolution is transforming the way we work, play and care for ourselves. Increasingly, people are turning to AI tools to support their wellbeing, from navigating family complex dynamics to creating personalised nutrition plans for fitness goals.

To better understand how people are using AI to support their health, Compare the Market’s health insurance experts surveyed more than 3 to reveal how everyday AI habits are shaping wellbeing.

Australia

Mental health support and AI use in Australia

Our survey found that 6% of Aussie respondents use AI chatbots for mental health support every single day, with daily use highest among younger adults. Fifteen per cent of those aged 25-34 and 11% of those aged 35-44 use these platforms for their mental wellbeing daily. In contrast, daily use drops to just 1% among those aged 65-74. Weekly use of these platforms for mental health support follows a similar pattern – 29% of 25–34-year-olds, 27% of 35–44-year-olds and 22% of 18–24-year-olds rely on AI tools each week.

When people do turn to AI for mental health help, it is most often for anxiety support, with 63% of females using AI for assistance for this reason, compared to 48% of males. Help with anxiety is sought after by numerous age groups, with 59% of 25–34 year olds and 58% of both 18–24 year olds and 55–64 year olds turning to AI for support.

Depression is another major mental illness people seek help with. Almost half (44%) of respondents use AI chatbots to help with depression, led by 25–34 year olds (48%) and closely followed by those aged 35–44 (46%). Stress relief is even more common, with 57% of all respondents using AI for this purpose, including 61% of women and 54% of men. Surprisingly, the majority of those using AI to lift their general mood are those of the over 75 age group, at 67%.

How Australians use AI for mental health support, by gender

Mental health topicsTotalMaleFemale
Anxiety54%48%63%
Depression44%45%43%
Stress57%54%61%
Relationship issues24%22%26%
Low self esteem18%17%20%
Trauma11%7%18%
Grief10%10%11%
Addiction13%16%10%
Eating disorders11%11%11%
Thoughts of self-harm7%8%6%
Lifting my general mood28%28%29%
Feeling less lonely/for emotional connection13%12%15%
Other (please specify)3%3%3%

How Australians use AI for mental health support, by age

Mental health topics18-24 years25-34 years35-44 years45-54 years55-64 years65-74 years75+ years
Anxiety58%59%55%47%58%36%0%
Depression44%48%46%43%38%32%33%
Stress60%59%59%59%43%55%0%
Relationship issues18%33%22%20%20%18%0%
Low self esteem23%23%16%11%23%9%0%
Trauma17%12%9%7%18%5%0%
Grief12%7%10%12%10%14%33%
Addiction17%13%17%9%13%5%0%
Eating disorders13%14%13%7%5%5%17%
Thoughts of self-harm10%7%9%5%5%0%0%
Lifting my general mood21%34%25%27%30%36%67%
Feeling less lonely/for emotional connection17%15%11%15%5%18%17%
Other (please specify)3%3%2%3%0%9%17%

Medical advice and AI use in Australia

When it comes to using AI for medical advice it is a similar story, with only 6% of respondents using it every day. Again, 25–34-year-olds and 35–44-year-olds lead the charge, with 12% of them using it for advice daily. Despite this, many people still aren’t comfortable with using AI in this space, with 45% of respondents never using AI for medical advice. Women tend to be more cautious, with 51% of females never using AI for medical advice, compared to 40% of males.

There are some significant state-by-state differences too. South Australians are the least likely to use AI for medical assistance, with 62% saying they never do, while New South Welshman are more open-minded, with only 37% saying they would never use AI for medical advice.

The most common uses of AI for medical advice are nutritional advice (37%) and general fitness/physical activity advice (also 37%). Forty-six per cent of 25–34-year-olds use AI for nutritional advice, closely followed by 45% of over 75-year-olds. It is a similar story with general fitness/physical activity advice, with AI being used for help in this area by 44% of both 25–34-year-olds and 65–74-year-olds.

How Australians use AI for medical advice, by gender

Mental health topicsTotalMaleFemale
To decide if I should see a real doctor36%38%33%
Cold/flu symptoms30%31%28%
Sexual health20%27%11%
Chronic pain/ health conditions28%26%30%
Asthma9%11%6%
Allergies/intolerances15%16%15%
Medication advice32%34%30%
Nutritional advice37%36%38%
Injury prevention/rehabilitation14%16%11%
Women’s health19%5%40%
General fitness/physical activity advice37%39%34%
Other (please describe)2%0%4%

How Australians use AI for medical advice, by age

Mental health topics18-24 years25-34 years35-44 years45-54 years55-64 years65-74 years75+ years
To decide if I should see a real doctor40%34%40%31%33%41%9%
Cold/flu symptoms34%26%37%34%13%28%27%
Sexual health24%32%25%19%4%2%0%
Chronic pain/ health conditions19%27%25%28%39%31%36%
Asthma11%11%9%9%6%6%0%
Allergies/intolerances12%12%20%13%19%15%18%
Medication advice30%30%36%32%30%30%55%
Nutritional advice37%46%37%35%33%22%45%
Injury prevention/rehabilitation12%16%14%12%14%13%0%
Women’s health28%21%13%18%20%22%9%
General fitness/physical activity advice24%44%34%40%29%44%64%
Other (please describe)1%1%3%0%3%4%0%

Why are Australians using AI?

Immediacy and convenience are the greatest drivers of AI use for health support, with 59% of respondents citing this reason. This was followed by AI health support being more accessible than in-person support (42%) and it being more affordable (42%). Alternatively, a lack of trust in human professionals was the least popular reason, with only 5% of respondents saying as much.

Reasons for AI health support, by gender

Reason for AI health supportTotalMaleFemale
Accessibility42%42%43%
Affordability42%43%42%
Conveniency and immediacy59%59%61%
Curiosity41%41%41%
Anonymity30%31%28%
Limited access to in-person support13%15%11%
On recommendation14%17%9%
Anxiety surrounding in-person support12%12%12%
Lack of trust in human professionals5%5%5%
Other1%1%2%

Reasons for AI health support, by age

Reason for AI health support18-24 years25-34 years35-44 years45-54 years55-64 years65-74 years75+ years
Accessibility37%43%46%41%39%43%42%
Affordability44%40%44%40%44%48%25%
Conveniency and immediacy57%60%61%56%61%64%50%
Curiosity30%43%35%45%44%59%33%
Anonymity30%30%32%33%27%21%33%
Limited access to in-person support15%18%13%11%11%2%8%
On recommendation11%16%16%12%13%12%8%
Anxiety surrounding in-person support16%14%10%13%7%7%0%
Lack of trust in human professionals2%8%4%7%7%2%0%
Other2%2%1%1%0%3%0%

As Australians turn to AI tools for mental and physical health support, most users say the impact is either positive or neutral. Half of those using AI report an improvement in their overall health, with men (54%) slightly more likely than women (45%) to feel the benefits. 35–44‑year‑olds are seeing the greatest benefits, with 68% saying AI has improved their wellbeing. However, 44% of Australians say it has had no impact on their health (51% of women and 40% of men). Older age groups are also more likely to see no improvement, particularly those aged 75 and above, where 75% saw no impact.

Despite this, the majority of Australians believe that AI therapy is equally as helpful as human professionals (45%). Nineteen per cent believed it was less helpful and only 16% of users agreed it was more helpful. There was quite a split across the country – just 8% of people in the ACT and 9% of people in WA think AI therapy is more helpful than human professionals, while in Victoria and South Australia those numbers doubled (19% and 18% respectively).

 

America

AI & Mental Health Support in America

In America, AI remains largely unused for mental health support, with 59% of respondents never using it for this reason. Eight per cent of respondents do use AI tools for this reason daily, and of those that do, 17% are 35–44-year-olds. This same age group also shows the strongest interest more broadly, with 28% using AI for mental health support on a weekly basis.

Of the Americans turning to AI chatbots for mental health support, 51% use it for help with anxiety, 50% for stress, 49% for depression and 29% for lifting their general mood. Among those who use AI to help manage anxiety specifically, 61% were female and 43% were male. However, AI usage is much more balanced for depression, where both men and women use it for depression support 49% of the time. A small minority of Americans report using AI for more severe concerns.

How Americans use AI for mental health support, by gender

Mental health topicsTotalMaleFemale
Anxiety51%43%61%
Depression49%49%50%
Stress50%45%57%
Relationship issues27%25%30%
Low self esteem15%14%16%
Trauma17%16%19%
Grief13%14%13%
Addiction16%17%13%
Eating disorders10%10%11%
Thoughts of self-harm9%11%7%
Lifting my general mood29%28%30%
Feeling less lonely/for emotional connection17%18%14%
Other (please specify)4%5%4%

How Americans use AI for mental health support, by age

Mental health topics18-24 years25-34 years35-44 years45-54 years55-64 years65-74 years75+ years
Anxiety49%57%58%38%49%32%25%
Depression36%64%53%46%36%41%50%
Stress49%55%54%43%49%32%0%
Relationship issues32%39%23%21%10%18%25%
Low self esteem17%17%16%11%8%9%0%
Trauma20%21%17%13%15%5%0%
Grief7%19%13%13%15%14%0%
Addiction14%21%20%6%15%5%0%
Eating disorders14%13%15%2%3%5%0%
Thoughts of self-harm5%13%13%6%5%9%0%
Lifting my general mood27%29%33%24%36%23%0%
Feeling less lonely/for emotional connection16%15%17%21%15%14%0%
Other (please specify)5%1%4%5%8%14%25%

AI & Medical Advice in America

More than half of Americans (52%) never use AI chatbots for medical advice, while 24% turn to them monthly or every few months, 17% use them weekly and just 7% rely on them daily. The use of these tools varies notably by gender, with 60% of American women never using AI for guidance, compared to 45% of men.

Age can play a role in determining behaviour as well, with younger people far more open to using AI for medical advice. Only 31% of both 18–24-year-olds and 35–44-year-olds say they have never used AI for this purpose, compared to 69% of those aged 55-64 who avoid AI for medical support.

While nearly a third of Americans (31%) turn to chatbots for help deciding whether they should see a real doctor, it is also commonly used for day-to-day health queries, including cold and flu symptoms (32%), nutritional advice (33%), and general fitness or physical activity guidance (34%).

How Americans use AI for medical advice, by gender

Mental health topicsTotalMaleFemale
To decide if I should see a real doctor31%32%31%
Cold/flu symptoms32%33%30%
Sexual health21%27%13%
Chronic pain/ health conditions27%26%29%
Asthma12%13%10%
Allergies/intolerances24%27%20%
Medication advice29%30%27%
Nutritional advice33%31%37%
Injury prevention/rehabilitation10%12%7%
Women’s health22%6%44%
General fitness/physical activity advice34%39%27%
Other3%2%4%

How Americans use AI for medical advice, by age

Mental health topics18-24 years25-34 years35-44 years45-54 years55-64 years65-74 years75+ years
To decide if I should see a real doctor32%38%33%35%24%9%15%
Cold/flu symptoms33%38%36%25%32%18%0%
Sexual health20%25%30%18%12%9%15%
Chronic pain/ health conditions13%24%30%34%46%32%15%
Asthma10%9%19%12%10%9%0%
Allergies/intolerances14%17%36%32%18%26%15%
Medication advice23%27%29%29%26%47%38%
Nutritional advice26%38%40%26%32%26%38%
Injury prevention/rehabilitation7%9%14%12%6%12%0%
Women’s health24%38%12%15%24%9%8%
General fitness/physical activity advice26%32%31%38%42%44%54%
Other2%1%2%1%0%12%23%

Why are Americans using AI?

Many Americans turn to AI for health support largely for practical reasons. 41% say it is more accessible than in-person care, 44% find it more affordable, 51% value its convenience and immediacy, and 41% are driven purely by curiosity.

Of those surveyed, 63% report that AI has improved their mental or physical health (this figure climbs to an impressive 83% among 35–44-year-olds). A small minority felt worse after using AI (5%), while 32% saw no change in their mental or physical health. When comparing AI chatbot advice to human professionals, 25% believe AI therapy is more helpful, with this view most common among 35–44-year-olds (31%) and 25–34-year-olds (30%). Meanwhile, 39% feel AI is equally helpful, 14% say it is less helpful, and 22% remain unsure.

Reasons for AI health support, by gender

Reason for AI health supportTotalMaleFemale
Accessibility41%42%41%
Affordability44%49%37%
Conveniency and immediacy51%49%53%
Curiosity41%43%37%
Anonymity26%27%25%
Limited access to in-person support12%13%11%
On recommendation11%12%9%
Anxiety surrounding in-person support15%17%13%
Lack of trust in human professionals9%9%8%
Other3%2%4%

Reasons for AI health support, by age

Reason for AI health support18-24 years25-34 years35-44 years45-54 years55-64 years65-74 years75+ years
Accessibility36%52%37%38%38%39%54%
Affordability37%40%55%50%36%37%38%
Conveniency and immediacy47%54%55%49%41%47%69%
Curiosity33%36%40%45%47%55%54%
Anonymity21%24%37%25%19%24%31%
Limited access to in-person support15%15%14%9%7%8%8%
On recommendation12%12%17%5%7%8%0%
Anxiety surrounding in-person support16%19%14%18%12%8%0%
Lack of trust in human professionals12%10%8%8%9%3%8%
Other2%2%3%5%3%8%0%

 

 

Canada

AI & Mental Health Support in Canada

In Canada, most people still don’t turn to AI for mental health support, with 57% saying they never use AI chatbots for help in this area. 23% of Canadians use them monthly or every few months, 14% use them weekly, and 6% say they use AI for mental health support every day. This daily reliance is more common among younger adults, with 13% of 25–34-year-olds report using AI chatbots every day to support their mental wellbeing.

Of those surveyed, we found that AI chatbots are used for a wide range of mental health concerns. Fifty-seven per cent of respondents turn to AI tools for help with their anxiety, 52% for stress, 40% for depression, 26% for lifting their general mood, and 24% for relationship issues. Women are especially likely to seek support for anxiety, with 63% of females using chatbots for this reason compared to 52% of males. Younger Canadians are more likely to use AI for this same reason, with 66% of 18–24-year-olds using AI chatbots for help with anxiety, the highest of any age group.

How Canadians use AI for mental health support, by gender

Mental health topicsTotalMaleFemale
Anxiety57%52%63%
Depression40%40%41%
Stress52%49%56%
Relationship issues24%19%29%
Low self esteem18%16%20%
Trauma15%11%19%
Grief12%10%13%
Addiction14%16%13%
Eating disorders9%7%11%
Thoughts of self-harm8%6%10%
Lifting my general mood26%23%30%
Feeling less lonely/for emotional connection16%14%18%
Other (please specify)6%5%7%

How Canadians use AI for mental health support, by age

Mental health topics18-24 years25-34 years35-44 years45-54 years55-64 years65-74 years75+ years
Anxiety66%61%63%43%41%50%25%
Depression38%41%44%34%30%67%25%
Stress55%53%56%54%38%33%50%
Relationship issues30%26%25%24%8%8%0%
Low self esteem32%22%10%12%14%25%0%
Trauma20%17%14%7%14%25%0%
Grief11%15%8%13%14%8%0%
Addiction17%22%11%9%14%0%0%
Eating disorders14%7%10%10%3%8%0%
Thoughts of self-harm8%9%9%7%3%0%0%
Lifting my general mood24%29%24%24%32%25%0%
Feeling less lonely/for emotional connection15%17%17%15%16%17%0%
Other (please specify)8%3%3%4%14%25%50%

AI & Medical Advice in Canada

Only 5% of Canadians use AI chatbots for medical advice on a daily basis, while 15% use it weekly and 31% monthly or every few months. Nearly half (49%) never use it for this purpose. This is driven strongly by age – 81% of those aged over 75 never use it, compared to only 33% of those aged both 18-24 and 25-34.

The most common topics that AI tools are used for are cold and flu symptoms (37%), to decide if a real doctor should be seen (32%) and for nutritional advice (31%). These top three reasons are closely followed by medical advice and general fitness/physical activity advice, at 29%.

How Canadians use AI for medical advice, by gender

Mental health topicsTotalMaleFemale
To decide if I should see a real doctor32%34%30%
Cold/flu symptoms37%38%36%
Sexual health16%18%13%
Chronic pain/ health conditions27%23%31%
Asthma8%8%8%
Allergies/intolerances16%14%18%
Medication advice29%28%30%
Nutritional advice31%30%34%
Injury prevention/rehabilitation12%12%11%
Women’s health25%3%48%
General fitness/physical activity advice29%31%27%
Other (please describe)3%3%2%

How Canadians use AI for medical advice, by age

Mental health topics18-24 years25-34 years35-44 years45-54 years55-64 years65-74 years75+ years
To decide if I should see a real doctor44%31%29%31%21%40%38%
Cold/flu symptoms51%32%40%37%29%28%38%
Sexual health18%20%19%13%7%4%0%
Chronic pain/ health conditions28%24%19%22%41%60%38%
Asthma7%10%11%3%7%8%0%
Allergies/intolerances18%17%19%13%13%16%13%
Medication advice31%28%21%33%36%28%50%
Nutritional advice39%29%32%32%32%24%13%
Injury prevention/rehabilitation15%11%10%14%5%20%0%
Women’s health36%22%26%20%23%20%0%
General fitness/physical activity advice26%29%24%27%46%28%38%
Other (please describe)1%3%3%3%2%0%13%

Why are Canadians using AI?

Most Canadians use AI for mental and medical support because it is more convenient and immediate than seeing a real doctor (49%), it is more accessible (41%), and it’s affordable (37%).

Of those surveyed, the majority agreed that AI support had positively impacted their health, with men more likely to agree than women (58% to 47%). A significant proportion (42%), however, noted that AI had no on their mental or physical health, while a minority (6%) said it worsened their health.

In a similar vein, 39% of Canadians surveyed found AI therapy to be equally helpful to visiting human professionals. In comparison, 17% found AI therapy to be more helpful, 20% found it less helpful and around a quarter (24%) were unsure of its impact.

Reasons for AI health support, by gender

Reason for AI health supportTotalMaleFemale
Accessibility41%42%40%
Affordability37%38%35%
Conveniency and immediacy49%48%50%
Curiosity43%43%42%
Anonymity28%30%26%
Limited access to in-person support12%10%14%
On recommendation11%10%12%
Anxiety surrounding in-person support13%11%14%
Lack of trust in human professionals7%5%10%
Other2%2%3%

Reasons for AI health support, by age

Reason for AI health support18-24 years25-34 years35-44 years45-54 years55-64 years65-74 years75+ years
Accessibility41%39%41%38%48%42%56%
Affordability38%36%36%40%31%31%44%
Conveniency and immediacy51%45%47%50%52%62%44%
Curiosity39%41%45%47%39%46%44%
Anonymity28%27%31%25%29%27%33%
Limited access to in-person support11%13%15%10%8%15%0%
On recommendation13%7%10%8%16%23%0%
Anxiety surrounding in-person support21%13%13%11%3%12%0%
Lack of trust in human professionals14%6%7%6%10%4%0%
Other2%3%1%3%2%0%33%

 

Executive General Manager of Health, Steven Spicer, said we’re now seeing a significant shift in the way people think about and manage their mental and physical wellbeing.

“Australians are increasingly turning to AI for health advice, and while these tools can deliver support quickly and at a lower cost, they should be used to complement, not replace, qualified practitioners,” says Mr. Spicer.

“Private health insurance still plays a critical role in ensuring Australians can access timely, in‑person support when they need it most.

“When reviewing your health insurance options, it’s important to compare policies carefully to make sure your cover aligns with your needs when it is time to see an in-person professional.”

Methodology

This survey was conducted by PureProfile in February, 2026. It included 1,104 respondents across Australia, 1,020 respondents across America and 1,005 respondents across Canada.