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A Rutgers study using survey data from nearly 1,000 participants found that more than 32% of adults ages 18 to 29 reported using AI chatbots for substance-use information. About half of those users said they consulted AI at least monthly; researchers cautioned that chatbot misinformation could contribute to risky decisions.
More than 32% of surveyed adults ages 18 to 29 said they had used ChatGPT or similar chatbots to get information about substances or substance use, according to a Rutgers study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research. Researchers said users most often sought information about risks and consequences, while warning that inaccurate chatbot responses could affect decisions about substance use.
The Rutgers Health researchers analyzed survey responses from nearly 1,000 participants to examine how people use generative AI for substance-related information and how they view the answers. Generative AI tools produce content in response to prompts. The report describes the finding as roughly one in three young adults using AI for this purpose, but the supplied material does not provide the survey dates or a full breakdown of the sample.
Among respondents who said they used AI for substance-related information, about half reported doing so at least monthly. The most common reason given was seeking information on risks and consequences. The source does not specify which substances were asked about, what prompts participants used, or whether researchers independently checked the AI responses those participants received.
The study also reported that Black participants and male participants were more likely to use AI for substance-related purposes. The researchers said participants generally perceived AI tools as trustworthy, reliable and helpful. These are findings about respondents’ reported use and views; they do not establish that chatbot advice changed anyone’s behavior or caused a health outcome.
AI Is Becoming a Substance Information Source
The findings point to chatbots becoming one route through which young adults seek information about drugs and alcohol. That matters because people may rely on answers when weighing risks, even though the study did not assess the accuracy of specific responses or prove that users acted on them.
Lead author Mireia Triguero Roura, a postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers’ Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, said chatbot use could expose young people to misinformation and potentially risky substance-use behavior. Her warning is a concern raised by the researchers, not a result showing that such harm occurred among the survey participants.
The reported differences by race and gender may also matter for public health efforts to provide reliable information. The researchers suggested that patterns of AI use could reflect differences in healthcare access, stigma, trust and health-information-seeking habits. The survey finding alone does not identify which of those factors explains the differences.
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What the Rutgers Survey Examined
The researchers focused on young adults’ use of generative AI specifically for substance-related questions, within a wider rise in AI use for searching and health information. The source cites recent survey data indicating that 66% of young adults use AI to search for information and obtain medical advice, among other purposes. That broader figure is separate from the Rutgers study’s finding about substance-related use and should not be read as the share seeking drug or alcohol information.
The Rutgers study was coauthored by Pia M. Mauro, an associate professor at the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science and Rutgers School of Public Health. Its publication in the Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research makes the work a report on survey responses and perceptions, rather than a test of chatbot performance or a clinical evaluation.
The source material does not include the survey questionnaire, response rate, participant recruitment details, or the exact wording used to define substance-related information. Those details would help readers judge how broadly the results apply beyond the people who took part.
“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
Limits of the Available Findings
The report summary does not give the survey dates, recruitment method, response rate or detailed participant demographics. Without those details, it is difficult to assess how representative the nearly 1,000 respondents were of young adults generally. The source also does not say whether the results were weighted to reflect the wider population.
It remains unclear what substances participants asked about, which AI products they used beyond ChatGPT and similar chatbots, and whether their questions concerned personal use, someone else’s use or general curiosity. Researchers also did not report in the supplied material whether respondents followed chatbot advice or whether it affected their decisions.
The reported higher likelihood of use among Black and male respondents does not explain why those differences appeared. The researchers raised possible links to access, stigma, trust and information-seeking, but the source does not establish any one explanation. Nor does it provide an evaluation of the accuracy of chatbot answers encountered by participants.
Researchers Call for Follow-Up Studies
Roura and Mauro said additional research should examine how young adults understand AI-generated information about drugs and alcohol and the possible public-health effects of using chatbots as an information source. The source does not announce a timeline, a planned follow-up study or any forthcoming policy action.
Further work could clarify which questions young adults bring to chatbots, how they judge answers, and whether they check information with health professionals or other sources. Until those questions are answered, the Rutgers findings describe reported use and perceptions rather than the accuracy or real-world effects of AI advice. People making decisions about substance use should not treat chatbot responses as a substitute for qualified professional guidance.
Key Questions
What did the Rutgers study find?
More than 32% of surveyed adults ages 18 to 29 reported using ChatGPT or similar AI chatbots for substance-related information. About half of those users said they did so at least monthly.
What information were young adults seeking?
The most common reported purpose was getting information about risks and consequences. The report summary does not identify the specific substances or questions participants discussed with chatbots.
Does the study show that AI advice caused harm?
No. Researchers warned that misinformation could contribute to risky behavior, but the supplied findings do not show that participants acted on chatbot answers or experienced harm.
The study reported higher use among Black participants and male participants. It did not establish why those differences occurred.
What do researchers want to study next?
They called for research into how young adults interpret AI-generated information about drugs and alcohol and what effects this information source may have on public health.
Source: news-medical.net
