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AI Survey Report 2026

Patients see promise in AI in healthcare but call for trust, transparency and safeguards

Patients across Europe are optimistic about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve healthcare, while emphasising the need for strong safeguards, transparency and meaningful involvement in how these technologies are developed and used.

These are among the key findings of a new survey conducted by the European Patients’ Forum (EPF), which gathered 874 responses from patients and patient representatives across Europe. The results, analysed by EPF and KU Leuven in 2026, provide valuable insights into patients’ expectations and concerns regarding AI in healthcare.

The survey found overwhelming support for the potential benefits of AI, with 98% of respondents believing it could positively contribute to healthcare. Patients identified several areas where AI could make a difference, including supporting healthcare professionals in delivering more personalised care, enabling faster and more accurate diagnoses, and helping individuals better manage their health and treatments.

At the same time, respondents highlighted important concerns that must be addressed to ensure AI is implemented responsibly. These include the potential loss of human empathy and personal interaction in healthcare, the risk of biased AI-driven decisions, incorrect diagnoses, and insufficient transparency about when and how AI is being used in patient care.

Trust and communication emerged as central themes throughout the survey. More than eight in ten respondents (82%) said they would prefer to be informed about the use of AI directly by their doctor or healthcare professional, while 93% believe patients should receive this information at the very beginning of their care journey or treatment process.

Patients also stressed the importance of accessible and understandable information about AI. A majority of respondents expressed a preference for clear, patient-friendly explanations, underlining the need to strengthen AI literacy and empower patients to participate confidently in decisions affecting their care.

The findings reinforce EPF’s longstanding call for a patient-centred approach to AI in healthcare. EPF continues to advocate for the development and deployment of AI solutions that uphold key principles, including patient safety, transparency, privacy, human autonomy, accountability, co-design and education.

In 2023, EPF became the first European patient organisation to publish a position paper on patients’ views and expectations regarding AI in healthcare. The new survey builds on this work and provides further evidence that patients support innovation when it is accompanied by strong human oversight, transparency and meaningful patient involvement.

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