Bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) into Health Information Seeking Behavior: A Study of AI and Information Seeking Research

Purpose
This paper explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on information-seeking behavior research and practice, with particular attention to the need to reexamine established information-seeking theories, challenge existing behavioral assumptions, and reconsider definitions of information literacy and information retrieval education.

Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a historical and conceptual analysis of information-seeking behavior research from the 1950s to the present. Particular emphasis is placed on recent developments in health information seeking and the evaluation of medical information sources in AI-mediated environments.

Findings
The analysis highlights how advances in AI are reshaping information-seeking behaviors, especially in healthcare contexts where ethical considerations, source evaluation, and trust play critical roles. Ongoing debates in healthcare, ethics, and AI and information literacy education emerge as central dimensions of AI’s influence on information-seeking behavior.

Originality/value
By situating contemporary AI developments within a long-term historical framework, this paper offers insights for both researchers and practitioners seeking to navigate evolving information-seeking landscapes. The findings contribute to discussions on the future of information behavior research and the adaptation of information literacy education in AI-influenced contexts.