Seven in ten people in the Canary Islands use AI to check their health symptoms
Artificial Intelligence has become a routine tool for people in the Canary Islands seeking answers to health-related questions, according to a new national study. The report reveals that more than 73% of Canary Islanders use AI to look up medical problems. This is the second-highest rate in Spain and significantly above the national average of 66.4%. The study also shows that 21.4% of people in the archipelago rely on these tools regularly.
The report, titled “The Dangers of Digital Self-Diagnosis”, was produced with university researchers Ruth Castillo-Gualda and Justo Menéndez and warns of the rapid rise of AI-based self-diagnosis and the risks it poses to both physical and mental health. Across Spain, one in four citizens (24.8%) say they now turn to AI before contacting a medical professional. In the Canary Islands, that number stands at 19.8%.
One of the biggest trends identified in the study is a generational divide. Nationally, nine out of ten young people aged 16 to 19 use AI for medical information, and half rely on it regularly. Among those aged 65 to 75, usage drops to 41.7%, and only 10.6% turn to AI before speaking to a doctor.
The main reasons people give for using AI include its availability (16.3%), immediacy (12.2%) and speed (11.5%). Emotional factors also play a key role: many users seek privacy, understanding or reassurance without feeling judged. This is especially common among people who are already struggling emotionally.
The study also highlights important differences linked to gender and age when it comes to mental health queries. Among those using AI for emotional issues, 55% of women say they do so because they feel more listened to or less judged, compared to 45% of men. The gap is even wider between generations: 35% of young people say that emotional support is their main motivation, compared to just 7% of older adults.
Overall, the study confirms that AI tools are now firmly integrated into everyday life across Spain, with 18.5% of the population using them frequently or very frequently for health concerns.
Share:
