Florida moves to regulate AI medical advice

Florida’s Attorney General has asked the state board of medicine to investigate artificial intelligence platforms that provide health recommendations. The core concern is that these systems may be engaging in the unlicensed practice of medicine by presenting algorithmic outputs as credible medical advice without the safeguards of a licensed physician.

State leaders argue that automated health guidance often misses critical details, such as interactions with existing prescriptions. While consumer use of AI for self-diagnosis continues to grow, local doctors warn that these tools do not have access to a patient’s full medical history, labs, or imaging, making their advice incomplete and potentially risky.

Regulators fear unlicensed medical practice

Attorney General James Uthmeier stated that AI applications often present themselves with a human-like credibility that masks their lack of medical licensure. Mark Glass, Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, highlighted a specific danger: chatbots may suggest treatments that counteract medications a patient is already taking, leading to serious harm.

The legal framework treats the unlicensed practice of medicine as a felony. However, enforcing these laws against technology developers raises complex jurisdictional questions, particularly when the companies are based outside of Florida. Neither the Attorney General’s office nor the State Board of Medicine responded to requests for details on specific harm cases or enforcement strategies.

Patients increasingly rely on chatbots

Despite regulatory concerns, the use of AI for medical information is widespread. Data from the Pew Research Center suggests that roughly one-third of Americans use conversational AI for medical queries. In Tallahassee, primary care physician Matthew Zaideman notes that patients frequently bring chatbot results into their appointments.

Zaideman explains that AI lacks the comprehensive view required for accurate diagnosis. It does not have access to diagnostic imaging or complete lab results. He advises patients to treat AI outputs as a starting point for conversation rather than a definitive answer, emphasizing that professional medical judgment is still essential.

Call for clearer industry guidelines

Healthcare providers are urging for clearer guidelines in this rapidly evolving sector. Zaideman described the current state of AI in medicine as a

Major technology companies, including Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google, were contacted for comment. Microsoft declined to respond, while the other two companies did not reply before publication. The situation highlights a gap between the speed of AI adoption and the development of regulatory frameworks to protect both patients and physicians.