Bird flu —

The public has unanswered questions about bird flu. Some are asking AI.

Addressing these questions may allow health communicators to combat false information online.

The public has unanswered questions about bird flu. Some are asking AI.

Online conversations about bird flu are far less common than a year ago, as public focus has shifted to the measles outbreak affecting Texas and surrounding states. But the U.S. bird flu outbreak persists, and many online users remain concerned and confused about the disease.

Since the last Infodemiology special report in August 2024, the number of confirmed human bird flu cases in the U.S. rose to 70, including the first death recorded in the U.S. The death sparked a wave of questions online about bird flu transmission, risk to humans and pets, and the threat of a potential pandemic.

In response to online concern, we reviewed social media conversations related to bird flu to highlight the public's pressing questions—and how AI and false claims are shaping the answers.

This report provides a snapshot of online questions about bird flu in the first three months of 2025, shedding light on the public’s evolving understanding of the disease. 

Many conversations focused on how bird flu spreads, how to prevent it, and the potential threat it poses to the general public. Common themes that emerged included distrust of public health institutions, concern about U.S. pandemic preparedness, and the growing use of noncredible sources and AI tools to answer questions about bird flu.

What people are asking about bird flu

Understanding the H5N1 virus

Many questions focused on the origin, evolution, and behavior of the H5N1 virus, especially around different strains, mutations, and severity. Several responses linked to reputable sources like the CDC and peer-reviewed studies. 

However, questions about how the virus affects humans often received speculative answers without sources. Some posts expressed surprise that bird flu can be fatal in humans, while others relied on outdated statistics that exaggerated the mortality risk. 

Why this matters: These questions reveal significant information gaps about the H5N1 virus. The COVID-19 pandemic showed how limited understanding of a viral threat can fuel conspiracy theories and erode trust in public health efforts.

General risk to the public

Some online users expressed concern about contracting bird flu through everyday exposure, such as open windows, bird feeders, and eating eggs. Many posts questioned how to safely use bird feeders; some received expert guidance. Food safety questions were also common, particularly around preparing beef and eggs.

Why this matters: These conversations suggest many people are unaware that the general public’s risk remains low, despite consistent public health messaging. Accurate information may not be reaching, or resonating with, its intended audience.

Pandemic risk and preparation

Many people had questions about the potential for bird flu to escalate into a pandemic and the steps being taken to prevent it. Most answers were speculative, reflecting both uncertainty and false claims. Several posts criticized the Trump administration for downplaying the threat and called for federal health workers to share more information publicly. 

Questions about personal prevention measures appeared frequently, including whether COVID-19 precautions apply to bird flu and whether boiling can kill the virus in water exposed to infected animals.

Why this matters: Online conversations about pandemic preparedness reveal a lack of public confidence in the U.S. response to bird flu. Notably, even users who generally accept public health guidance—such as those who supported COVID-19 precautions—expressed skepticism about the incoming administration’s handling of the outbreak.

Bird flu vaccines and treatments

Questions about bird flu vaccines and treatments were common. Some asked whether the annual flu shot protects against bird flu, while others questioned the availability of bird flu vaccines for humans. Several posts referenced human bird flu vaccines in development, especially mRNA-based options. 

The first recorded human bird flu death in the U.S. sparked renewed interest in treatment options. Posts asked about the effectiveness of antivirals and how to access Tamiflu.

Why this matters: While the current risk to the general public doesn’t warrant widespread bird flu vaccination, the absence of accessible preventive options may lead some to seek unproven or ineffective treatments, echoing patterns seen in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bird flu transmission

A frequent topic of confusion online was how bird flu spreads in animal populations and from animals to humans. Several social media posts asked whether people with bird flu could transmit it to others, and users were particularly concerned about how human-to-human spread is being monitored. Some asked if doctors are testing for bird flu, while others worried about asymptomatic infections. Concerns about transmission to and from pets also appeared frequently.  

A number of posts focused on people in direct contact with potentially affected animals, including farm and dairy workers, animal handlers, and backyard poultry owners. Most questions focused on how individuals can protect themselves and prevent disease transmission.    

Many questions about human transmission received no response or were met with speculation rather than evidence-based answers.  

Why this matters: Even good-faith online discussions about bird flu transmission can unintentionally fuel conspiracy theories and public anxiety. Without accessible, accurate information, false claims about how the virus spreads may gain traction—potentially putting high-risk populations at greater risk. 

Use of AI to answer bird flu questions

A growing number of social media users are turning to artificial intelligence to fill information gaps about bird flu. We identified posts where users turned to AI tools to ask questions or share content related to bird flu.

Online users asked AI chatbots about food safety, including how to prepare eggs and meat. In one case, a user cited an AI-generated answer to argue that culling infected poultry is unnecessary because you can “just cook the eggs.” Another paraphrased an AI response to suggest the government is covering up bird flu outbreaks in poultry.

Questions about bird flu vaccines were also common, especially aroundmRNA vaccines in development. One user misinterpreted an AI answer to falsely claim that livestock are currently being “contaminated” with mRNA vaccines.

Some AI-generated responses cited credible sources such as the CDC, WHO, local health departments, and peer-reviewed research. Others lacked citations or contained unsupported speculation. A few users said they turned to AI instead of government sources, citing a lack of trust. One forum poster used a chatbot to compile resources in response to January reports of a pause in federal health communications. Another used an AI answer to suggest human transmission is going unreported. 

These interactions suggest that people may increasingly rely on AI tools during emerging or potential health crises. In many cases, users shared AI-generated answers verbatim, with no additional sources to confirm accuracy. As a result, AI-generated content was presented as seemingly reliable public health information with the potential to influence personal perceptions and decisions. 

Why this matters: A 2024 KFF poll found that one in six adults—and one in four adults under 30—use AI tools monthly to find health information. Of those, over a third (36%) said they trust AI to provide accurate health information. 

Combined with growing skepticism of federal health agencies, this shift suggests AI is becoming a central but sometimes unreliable source of public health information.

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