No GPs for Gen Z – could ChatGPT be the new generation's doctor?

We explore how ChatGPT could revolutionise the health industry, and whether this is a feasible future for long GP waiting times. 

If you’ve ever opened your phone at 3am, googled a weird pain, unusual rash, mood slump or “why do I feel so tired,” you’re not alone. For many in Gen Z, the doctor’s appointment line, the waiting room, and the physical exam can feel slow, intimidating or out of reach. Enter ChatGPT. Always awake, always typing, free at the tap of a screen. Suddenly, open-AI powered chatbots aren’t just for essays or coding help; they’re becoming the first stop for health questions, self-diagnosis and lifestyle advice. But can they really replace a GP? And should they?

There’s no denying the appeal. ChatGPT and similar models offer immediate answers at any time. There’s no booking needed, no waiting, and no awkward silence after “and what brings you in today?” For younger people, that ease is magnetic. Surveys show Gen Z already uses digital health tools more than earlier generations in the form of patient portals, telemedicine, and chat apps. Likewise, Gen Z frequently treats ChatGPT not just as a tool, but as a confidant, a trusted peer, and a therapist in most cases.

But ChatGPT isn't a licensed doctor. It doesn’t perform physical exams or take your full medical history into account unless you feed it every detail (and even then, it may lack context). Studies looking at how chatbots handle medical queries find significant variability. One meta-analysis found that ChatGPT almost half the time might not get it right.

Then there’s the risk of missing nuance. As one analysis put it: “Algorithms aren’t wise… ChatGPT can sound measured, even thoughtful, but it has no intuition, gut instinct or lived experience.” Symptoms can hide serious conditions, communication gaps matter, and human judgment matters. A chatbot might reassure you, misinterpret your words, or worse, fail to advise you to seek urgent care when needed. Experts also warn that ChatGPT could erode users’ ability to seek real human care when they need it, and may amplify risk if the tool gives wrong or incomplete advice.

And then there’s the data protection and liability side. If you told a real doctor about your chest pain, they might record, refer, or track you for follow-up, but if you ask ChatGPT, there’s no clear accountability. If ChatGPT’s advice leads to a bad outcome, who takes responsibility? And how safe is our personal data in those chats?

So, what can ChatGPT be, if not a full substitute for a GP? One useful role is first-response information. You can use the bot to ask general questions in health education, preparing for a visit, or translating medical-speak. It’s like having a health reference book that chats back.

ChatGPT can fill a gap, but it doesn’t fill them all. For serious symptoms, real human doctors are still the gold standard. The danger is treating an AI chat as a full replacement rather than a supplement.

From a Gen Z perspective, the appeal of ChatGPT is obvious: instant access, no awkwardness, no stigma. Especially for mental health, body issues, small concerns, weight and nutrition questions, the chatbot offers a judgement-free zone. But because lots of those concerns do require nuance, there is a risk. The NHS recently warned that chatbots shouldn’t replace therapy or care.

So what should Gen Z user do?

• Use ChatGPT for information only.
  

• Be transparent with your human GP: “I asked ChatGPT this; can you help me interpret it?” Use AI as prep, not the final word.
  

• Know the limits: AI can’t examine you or feel your concern – remember that.
  

• Protect your data: don’t share highly personal information unless you’re sure about privacy terms.
  

• Don’t replace human connection. Face-to-face care builds trust, continuity, tests, and check-ups.

The next generation’s doctor might look very different. It might start with a screen, an AI conversation, or a casual question typed at midnight. But it will still end with a person. The ideal future won’t replace the human element, but it will enhance it.