OpenAI on Wednesday announced the next step in the application of artificial intelligence to health care with the introduction of ChatGPT Health. This technology is not intended for diagnosis and treatment but will allow users to securely connect their medical records and wellness apps to the AI chatbot.
“ChatGPT Health is another step toward turning ChatGPT into a personal super-assistant that can support you with information and tools to achieve your goals across any part of your life,” said Fidji Simo, CEO of applications at OpenAI, according to CNBC.
Because health information often is scattered across portals, apps, wearables, PDFs and medical notes, it's hard to see the full picture and patients are left to navigate the health care system alone, the company noted. More than 230 million people globally ask health and wellness related questions on ChatGPT every week, making it a logical place to access information.
“ChatGPT Health builds on this so responses are informed by your health information and context,” the company said. “You can now securely connect medical records and wellness apps -- like Apple Health, Function and MyFitnessPal -- so ChatGPT can help you understand recent test results, prepare for appointments with your doctor, get advice on how to approach your diet and workout routine or understand the tradeoffs of different insurance options based on your health care patterns.”
OpenAI developed ChatGPT Health in close collaboration with physicians around the world to provide clear and useful health information.
“Over two years, we’ve worked with more than 260 physicians who have practiced in 60 countries and dozens of specialties to understand what makes an answer to a health question helpful or potentially harmful,” the company said. “This group has now provided feedback on model outputs over 600,000 times across 30 areas of focus. This collaboration has shaped not just what Health can do but how it responds -- how urgently to encourage follow-ups with a clinician, how to communicate clearly without oversimplifying and how to prioritize safety in moments that matter.”
OpenAI emphasized that it is committed to protecting the privacy of sensitive medical information.
“Conversations and files across ChatGPT are encrypted by default at rest and in transit as part of our core security architecture,” it said. “Due to the sensitive nature of health data, Health builds on this foundation with additional, layered protections -- including purpose-built encryption and isolation -- to keep health conversations protected and compartmentalized.”
ChatGPT Health initially will be made available to a small group of early users who will offer feedback and refine the experience, with expanded access expected in coming weeks.
The announcement illustrates the increasing emphasis on health care by OpenAI and other AI companies. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told CNBC in August that health care is “maybe the area where there’s the strongest improvement of any category.”
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