Aflac President: Why AI Shouldn’t Drive Your Healthcare

The recent study revealing that 76% of Gen Z adults and 63% of millennials turn to artificial intelligence (AI) as their first line of primary healthcare before seeing a doctor is a clarion call for a more nuanced conversation about the role of technology in health care. This trend represents a disturbing shift towards self-diagnosis and reliance on digital tools, rather than human expertise.

While AI can be useful in understanding medical terminology and potential risks, it falls short when providing actionable guidance or actual treatment. The notion that AI should “copilot” our healthcare is misleading – and potentially catastrophic. Virgil Miller, president of Aflac Incorporated, astutely notes, “Knowing more is not the same as knowing what to do next.”

The implications are far-reaching. This trend underscores a worrying lack of trust in medical professionals. If Gen Z and millennials turn to AI before consulting with doctors, it suggests they have little confidence in the healthcare system. Moreover, this reliance on technology exacerbates existing health disparities – particularly among low-income communities who may not have access to quality digital resources.

Aflac’s business model relies on the inefficiencies and delays that AI purports to address. The company exists because screenings get missed, diagnoses come late, and families need help covering what health insurance alone can’t provide. Miller acknowledges this in his own words: “Our business model is built on the very issues we’re trying to solve with AI.”

But here’s the thing: AI is not a substitute for human care. It cannot perform medical procedures like mammograms or colonoscopies. It cannot view your health history and connect the dots on possible conditions that didn’t exist before. And it certainly cannot replace the voice of someone you trust asking, “Did you get that checked?”

The most powerful health intervention tool is not information coming out of a screen – it’s often someone who knows and cares about you. Research on cancer-screening behavior shows that Americans describe encouraging a loved one to get screened as an act of love, and say that encouragement changes their own behavior.

Miller’s personal experiences with cancer have given him a unique perspective on the issue. But what’s striking is how his company’s business model – built on the inefficiencies AI aims to address – is being repackaged as a success story. The AI conversation isn’t abstract for Aflac; it shows up in their claims data.

We need to fundamentally rethink our approach to technology and human expertise. Rather than relying on AI to drive healthcare decisions, we should be using it as a complement to medical professionals – not a replacement. Miller’s words of wisdom are worth heeding: “AI can’t take you to an appointment when you’re hemming and hawing about going.”