India Leads the World in AI Health Adoption, BCG Study Finds

MUMBAI — India has emerged as the world's leading adopter of artificial intelligence for personal health, with 85 per cent of Indian consumers already using AI-powered health tools, according to a new report released on Tuesday.

The findings come from a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study titled Consumers Are Ready for AI-Enabled Health Care. Health Systems Need to Be, Too, based on a survey of more than 13,000 consumers across 15 countries.

India Far Ahead of Major Developed Markets

India's adoption rate significantly outpaces that of other major economies. By comparison, 50 per cent of consumers in the United States, 43 per cent in the United Kingdom, and 34 per cent in Japan reported using AI for health-related purposes.

Globally, nearly 60 per cent of all respondents said they already use AI in some form for their health — but India's figure stands well above that average, reflecting a broader comfort with digital tools in healthcare that has taken root faster here than almost anywhere else.

Patients Want AI Alongside Doctors, Not Instead of Them

The report points to a meaningful shift in how patients think about medical care — but not in the direction of replacing doctors.

Most respondents said they preferred a hybrid model, where human physicians are supported and augmented by AI rather than substituted by it. This approach is particularly favoured for tasks like interpreting test results and managing chronic conditions.

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Younger Users Are Driving the Surge

Generational patterns are a key part of the story. Around 78 per cent of Gen Z respondents and 71 per cent of Millennials reported using AI for health-related tasks — groups that have grown up treating digital tools as a default rather than an alternative.

From Chatbots to Agentic AI: What's Next

Currently, AI use in healthcare is concentrated in two areas — chatbots, used by 33 per cent of respondents, and wearable devices, used by 19 per cent.

But consumer expectations are moving quickly beyond these entry points. The report noted a clear and growing demand for what it calls "agentic AI" — systems capable of independently booking appointments, managing referrals, and flagging potential drug interactions, rather than simply answering questions.

That shift, the report suggests, is where health systems will need to keep pace with the consumers already ahead of them.