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A Rutgers study based on survey data from nearly 1,000 people found that more than 32% of participants ages 18 to 29 used ChatGPT or similar chatbots for substance-use information. About half of those users said they sought that information at least monthly; the study also found high reported trust in AI tools, while warning that chatbot responses can reproduce misinformation.
More than 32% of surveyed young adults ages 18 to 29 said they had used ChatGPT or similar tools to get substance-use information, according to a Rutgers study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research. The finding matters because researchers say chatbot answers can include misinformation, while participants reported substantial trust in the tools.
Rutgers Health researchers analyzed survey data from nearly 1,000 participants to examine how people use generative AI for questions related to substances and substance use, and how they view the answers. Generative AI refers to systems that produce content in response to prompts. The report identifies the finding as applying to people ages 18 to 29: about one in three in that age group used AI for substance-related information.
Among respondents who used AI for this purpose, about half reported doing so at least monthly. The most common reason reported was seeking information about the risks and consequences of substance use. The supplied account does not provide the survey dates, the exact number of young adult participants, or a breakdown of which substances respondents asked about.
The researchers also reported differences by participant characteristics: Black and male participants were more likely to report using AI for substance-related purposes. The study authors said those differences may reflect variation in healthcare access, stigma, trust and health-information-seeking behavior. The survey finding does not, by itself, establish why those groups used the tools more often.
Chatbots Are Becoming a Health Information Source
The results point to AI chatbots becoming one channel through which some young adults seek information about drugs and alcohol. That matters because people may use chatbot responses when considering risks or consequences, yet the researchers warn that AI systems can reproduce misinformation. The study reports use and perceptions; it does not establish that chatbot answers caused a particular substance-use decision or harm.
Participants’ reported trust, reliability and helpfulness ratings add to the concern raised by the researchers: users who regard a tool as dependable may not recognize when its answer is inaccurate. The survey does not show how respondents checked information, whether they discussed it with health professionals, or whether they acted on what a chatbot told them.
The reported differences across racial and gender groups also make the issue relevant to efforts to provide accurate, accessible health information. The authors suggest that access to care, stigma and trust could help explain usage patterns, but the study does not identify a single cause. Its findings support further investigation into who uses AI for these questions and how they interpret its answers.
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What the Rutgers Survey Examined
The study, coauthored by Mireia Triguero Roura, a postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers’ Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, and Pia M. Mauro, an associate professor at the center and Rutgers School of Public Health, focused on AI use for substance-related information. It was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research.
The report places the study alongside broader use of AI among young adults, citing recent survey data that 66% use AI to search for information and get medical advice, among other purposes. That figure is separate from the Rutgers study’s substance-use finding and should not be read as the share who ask chatbots about drugs or alcohol.
The Rutgers researchers examined both the frequency and characteristics of AI use and participants’ perceptions of the results. Their work describes reported behavior and attitudes in a survey; it does not test chatbot answers for accuracy or measure changes in substance use after people receive those answers.
“Using these tools can lead to misinformed or otherwise risky substance-use behavior among young people, who are the age group most affected by adverse effects of substance use.”
— Mireia Triguero Roura, lead author and Rutgers postdoctoral researcher
Survey Limits and Unanswered Questions
The supplied study account does not specify when the survey was conducted, how participants were recruited, the exact number of respondents ages 18 to 29, or how the survey defined substance-use information. Those details would help readers judge the findings’ scope and how well they represent young adults more broadly.
The results also do not show whether respondents received accurate answers, how often chatbots gave misleading information, or whether using AI influenced substance-related choices. The reported trust, reliability and helpfulness are participants’ perceptions, not an independent assessment of chatbot performance. The association between participant characteristics and use likewise does not establish the reasons behind the differences.
Researchers Call for Follow-Up Studies
Roura and Mauro call for further research into how young adults interpret AI responses about drugs and alcohol and what effects those responses may have on public health. The supplied report does not announce a date for a follow-up study, a planned intervention or a change to chatbot products.
Future work could clarify whether users verify answers elsewhere, how they respond to uncertain or incorrect information, and whether patterns differ across substances and groups. Until those questions are studied, the Rutgers findings describe how often surveyed young adults reported turning to AI—not whether the information they received was accurate or what they did with it.
Key Questions
What did the Rutgers study find?
More than 32% of participants ages 18 to 29 reported using ChatGPT or similar AI chatbots for substance-related information. The most common reported purpose was learning about risks and consequences.
How often did participants use AI for substance information?
Among respondents who used AI for this purpose, about half said they did so at least monthly. The supplied report does not give a more detailed frequency breakdown.
Did the study find that AI use caused substance-related harm?
No. The survey examined reported use and perceptions; it did not establish that chatbot answers caused risky behavior or other harm. The authors warned that misinformation could contribute to risk.
Which groups were more likely to report using AI for these questions?
The study reported higher use among Black and male participants. The authors suggested possible links to healthcare access, stigma, trust and information-seeking behavior, but did not establish a cause.
What remains unknown?
The supplied account does not state the survey dates or detailed recruitment methods, and it does not assess the accuracy of chatbot answers or whether users acted on them. The researchers say more work is needed on how young adults understand AI responses about drugs and alcohol.
Source: news-medical.net
