Evaluating the efficacy of artificial intelligence in audiology: a head-to-head comparison of ChatGPT and Gemini on hearing aid management

Hearing aid users frequently require accessible and immediate assistance for daily device management. This study aims to evaluate and compare the performance of two prominent Large Language Models (LLMs)-ChatGPT and Gemini, selected for their widespread public accessibility and market dominance-in providing accurate, comprehensible, and repeatable answers to frequently asked questions regarding hearing aids.

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✦ The floor

Discussion

Signed responses from readers of the wire.

✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦

No actionable change — findings are preliminary and do not yet establish that either AI chatbot is reliable enough to replace or meaningfully supplement audiologist guidance on hearing aid management.

✦ Why It Matters ✦

As patients increasingly turn to AI chatbots for health information, audiology needs evidence on whether these tools give accurate hearing aid guidance — or risk spreading misinformation to vulnerable users.

✦ Key Points ✦

01Head-to-head comparison of ChatGPT vs. Gemini on hearing aid management queries in Int J Med Inform.
02Study focuses on queries relevant to everyday hearing aid users, not clinical diagnostics.
03Neither AI tool has been validated as a safe substitute for professional audiological advice.
04Findings contribute to growing literature on AI performance in specialty health domains.
05Results could inform patient education strategies and waiting-room or telehealth support tools.

✦ Claims & Evidence ✦

ClaimEvidenceSupport

AI large language models (ChatGPT and Gemini) can be evaluated for efficacy on hearing aid management queries.

studypartially supported

ChatGPT and Gemini differ in performance on audiology-related hearing aid management questions.

studyunclear

✦ Research metadata ✦

PMID: 42571769
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2026.106633.
Journal: International Journal of Medical Informatics
Publication type: research_article
Evidence level: 2b
Population: AI chatbot outputs evaluated against hearing aid management queries relevant to daily device users
Intervention: ChatGPT large language model responses to hearing aid management queries
Comparator: Gemini large language model

Primary outcomes

Accuracy and quality of AI responses to hearing aid management queries; Comparative performance of ChatGPT vs. Gemini on audiology-related questions

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