AI vs. search engine: which helps you diagnose better?

This study tested whether using an AI chatbot (like DeepSeek) helps people make better guesses about what illness they might have and whether they need to see a doctor. Over 6,000 adults in China read short stories about common symptoms and first made a guess on their own. Then they used either an AI or a search engine to look up information and updated their answer. The goal was to see if the AI group made more accurate diagnoses and care decisions than the search engine group.