| Source: Recon Analytics AI Survey | Sample: n=2,958 |
The Opportunity and the Obstacle
OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT Health last week lands in fertile ground. Recon Analytics surveyed 2,958 Americans in the days immediately following the announcement, the data tells a story of strong latent demand colliding with deep skepticism. 56% of consumers are interested in connecting health apps to AI, but only 28% trust AI to provide accurate health information.
When asked about interest in connecting health and fitness apps to AI assistants, 56% of respondents expressed interest:
- 10% very interested
- 37% somewhat interested
A majority want personalized health guidance from AI. OpenAI isn’t creating demand here; they’re responding to it.
| Consumer Interest in Health App Integration | |
|---|---|
| Very Interested | 20% |
| Somewhat Interested | 37% |
| Not Very Interested | 13% |
| Not At All Interested | 13% |
| Don’t Use Health Apps | 18% |
The Trust Deficit
Here’s where the story gets complicated. Only 28% of respondents trust AI to provide accurate health information: 7% completely trust and 21% mostly trust. Nearly half, 46%, land in the ambivalent middle with ‘somewhat trust.’ The remaining 26% actively distrust AI for health guidance.
When asked about sharing personal health data with AI, only 33% expressed comfort: 10% very comfortable and 22% somewhat comfortable. A full third, 33%, are uncomfortable sharing health data with AI systems, and another 34% sit on the fence.
| Trust in AI for Health Information | |
|---|---|
| Completely Trust | 7% |
| Mostly Trust | 21% |
| Somewhat Trust | 46% |
| Do Not Trust Much | 15% |
| Do Not Trust At All | 11% |
The Interest-Trust Gap
The most revealing finding emerges when you cross-tabulate interest against trust. Of the 1,668 respondents who expressed interest in health app integration, only 38% also trust AI for health information. That means 62% of interested consumers harbor reservations about the very thing they want to use.
OpenAI has captured the attention of a majority but must earn the trust of that majority before they share their Apple Health data, lab results, and medication lists. The 260 physicians OpenAI consulted, the isolated health conversations, the commitment not to train on health data: these aren’t marketing flourishes. They’re table stakes for clearing the trust bar.
Demographics of Doubt
Trust and comfort vary meaningfully by age. The 30-44 cohort shows the highest trust (33%) and comfort (38%), likely reflecting a generation comfortable with technology but old enough to have health concerns worth tracking. Adults over 60 show the lowest trust at 23% and lowest comfort at 26%, despite being the demographic with the most to gain from health monitoring.
| Age Group | n | Trust AI for Health | Comfortable Sharing Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 | 1,090 | 27% | 33% |
| 30-44 | 584 | 33% | 38% |
| 45-60 | 648 | 29% | 36% |
| > 60 | 636 | 23% | 26% |
The Competitive Implication
For now, ChatGPT Health represents a well-timed bet on a real market. The demand exists. The product is here. The trust must be earned, one health conversation at a time.
This trust gap isn’t just OpenAI’s problem; it’s the industry’s opportunity. Any competitor that cracks the trust code faster than OpenAI has an opening. Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon all have health ambitions and varying degrees of consumer trust. Apple has spent a decade positioning itself as the privacy-first technology company. If Apple leverages the just announced Google partnership and launches health AI features that leverage Apple Health data, the 62% of interested-but-skeptical consumers may find that more palatable than sending their health data to OpenAI’s servers.
Methodology
Recon Analytics surveyed 2,958 U.S. adults January 9, 2026. Data weighted to U.S. Census demographics. Margin of error ±1.8% at 95% confidence.