OpenAI reportedly exploring AI-powered health assistant as it eyes consumer healthcare

Artificial Intelligence firm OpenAI is reportedly exploring the development of consumer health products, including a generative AI-powered personal health assistant, as it looks to expand beyond its flagship ChatGPT platform, according to a Business Insider report citing sources familiar with the matter.

The move would mark one of OpenAI’s boldest steps yet — from being a provider of AI tools to creating industry-specific consumer applications. Among the options being considered are a personal health assistant and a health data aggregator that could help users manage medical information and access personalised advice.

OpenAI declined to comment on the report.

The company’s growing interest in healthcare has been evident through recent key appointments. In June, OpenAI appointed Nate Gross, cofounder of physician network Doximity, as head of healthcare strategy. Two months later, it brought on former Instagram executive Ashley Alexander as vice-president of health products.

Speaking at the HLTH conference in October, Gross noted that ChatGPT attracts roughly 800 million weekly active users — a significant share of whom turn to the chatbot for medical information and health-related questions.

OpenAI’s potential entry into healthcare comes after years of failed experiments by tech giants such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft to give consumers control over their medical data.

Google shut down its health record service in 2011 due to limited adoption, while Amazon discontinued its Halo fitness tracker in 2023. Microsoft’s HealthVault platform also struggled to gain traction.

Despite these past setbacks, analysts believe OpenAI could succeed where its predecessors faltered. “Consumers have historically gone to Google to ask their health questions, and it’s clear they’re now beginning to turn to large language models for a more conversational discovery process,” said Greg Yap, a partner at Menlo Ventures. “I think OpenAI has a tremendous opportunity in that sector.”

Investors and healthcare leaders are now closely monitoring OpenAI’s next move, viewing it as a potential game-changer in personal health technology.

After transforming how companies build and deploy generative AI, OpenAI’s foray into healthcare could redefine how individuals interact with medical information — bridging the gap between clinical data and everyday health management.

While details of any forthcoming product remain undisclosed, the company’s combination of large-scale user reach, AI expertise and new leadership in health strategy has fuelled speculation that OpenAI could become a major player in digital health innovation.

With agency inputs