According to a recent SE Ranking study, YouTube accounts for 4.43% of all AI Overview citations, making it the most-cited health source. More than 82% of health-related searches now generate AI summaries that heavily favor YouTube content, while only 34% of these citations reference verified medical institutions. Academic journals and government health bodies collectively contribute just 1% of AI citations.
Furthermore, only 36% of pages cited by AI appear in Google’s traditional top 10 search results, meaning the AI sources information users would rarely encounter on standard searches.
User Trust and Potential Risks
In Germany, where the study was conducted, 55% of AI chatbot users trust AI-generated health advice, and nearly half believe it offers better understanding of symptoms than conventional search. Alarmingly, some users reportedly ignore medical advice when it conflicts with AI guidance, presenting significant patient safety risks.
Experts warn that AI summaries may strip away essential medical context, potentially resulting in misinformed decisions by non-experts. Hannah van Kolfschooten, a researcher at the University of Basel, noted that “the heavy reliance on YouTube rather than on public health authorities or medical institutions suggests that visibility and popularity, rather than medical reliability, drive AI health knowledge.”
Implications for Healthcare Institutions
Health organizations now face a transformed digital landscape where traditional SEO success does not guarantee AI visibility. Video content has become crucial for reaching patients, forcing medical institutions to compete with YouTube creators for prominence in AI citations.
Authorities urge users to treat AI health summaries as general educational tools only and verify medical decisions with licensed healthcare providers. Misinterpretation of AI content could have catastrophic consequences for treatment and patient outcomes.