As generative artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly integral part of daily life, people are turning to AI for health and wellness guidance—though their reasons vary drastically by generation.

According to the "2026 Korea Wellness Report" released by the KB Financial Group Management Research Institute on October 26, approximately 46.2% of respondents have used generative AI for health and medical purposes.

The survey, which analyzed 924 users out of 2,000 independent adults aged 25 to 69 surveyed between July 21 and August 5, revealed a clear generational divide in how different age groups utilize AI.

Z Generation: Seeking Emotional Connection and Lifestyle Coaching

Younger demographics, particularly Generation Z, are leading the trend of using AI not just as a search engine, but as a companion and wellness coach.

Mental Health: Among Gen Z respondents who used AI for health purposes, 37.1% reported using it for emotional and psychological counseling. This is nearly three times the rate of Baby Boomers (12.6%), followed closely by Millennials/Gen Y at 32.7% and Gen X at 20.9%.
Fitness and Diet: Younger generations also heavily leverage AI for lifestyle management. 43.0% of Gen Z users consulted AI for customized workout routines—more than double the rate of Baby Boomers (19.6%)—while 42.4% sought personalized diet recommendations.

In-depth interviews reflected this trend. One Gen Z female participant shared, "I use AI for mindfulness when I have concerns or when I want to hear comforting answers." Meanwhile, a Millennial male noted, "I ask AI to design my diet. Even if there might be minor discrepancies in actual nutritional values, it is a huge help in building a sustainable diet routine."

Baby Boomers: Focusing on Medical Information and Disease Research

In contrast, older generations lean heavily toward practical, clinical information.

Disease & Symptoms: 74.8% of Baby Boomer respondents used AI primarily to search for symptoms, diseases, and their underlying causes. This significantly outpaced Gen X (60.9%), Millennials/Gen Y (60.4%), and Gen Z (54.3%), though disease inquiry remained the most common overall category across all age groups.
During interviews, a Baby Boomer female participant highlighted using AI to look up abdominal pain symptoms and potential treatment methods, demonstrating a reliance on AI as an initial informational tool for physical ailments.

Overall Trends in AI Health Inquiries

Across all surveyed generations, the most common topics queried on generative AI for health and wellness were:

*Symptom/Disease Search and Cause Inquiry (61.8%)
*Health Supplement Information and Recommendations (43.6%)
*Dietary Information and Recommendations (34.3%)
*Prescription and Test Result Interpretation (34.0%)

As generative AI continues to evolve, the gap between younger generations seeking emotional resonance and older generations prioritizing clinical information highlights the versatile, multi-faceted role AI is beginning to play in modern healthcare.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]