TL;DR
- OpenAI investigating personal health assistant and health data aggregator products for consumer market
- Company hired Doximity co-founder Nate Gross (June) and Instagram’s Ashley Alexander (August) to lead healthcare strategy
- Big Tech’s previous patient-controlled health record attempts (Microsoft, Google, Amazon) largely failed due to adoption barriers
Strategic Healthcare Expansion
OpenAI is evaluating multiple entry points into consumer healthcare, including development of a personal health assistant or health data aggregation platform. The exploration follows key executive appointments: Nate Gross, co-founder of public health tech company Doximity, joined in June to lead healthcare strategy, whilst Instagram’s Ashley Alexander became vice president of health products in August.
The company possesses substantial user engagement in health queries. Gross revealed at the October HLTH conference that ChatGPT’s 800 million weekly active users frequently ask medical questions, establishing existing demand for health-related AI assistance. This organic usage pattern provides market validation for dedicated healthcare products.
Competitive Landscape and Historical Challenges
Multiple Big Tech companies have attempted patient-controlled health record aggregation with limited success. Microsoft launched HealthVault in 2007 but closed the service in 2019 after failing to achieve widespread adoption. Google initiated a similar electronic health records project in 2008, terminating the experiment in 2012. Another Google health records search tool faced regulatory scrutiny regarding patient data access and handling practices.
More recent attempts continue. Alphabet’s Verily launched an AI-powered personal health record application in October, whilst Apple offers native Health Records functionality on iPhones — though this requires individual hospital data-sharing agreements, creating adoption friction. Alternative solutions requiring manual record downloads and uploads have experienced limited popularity due to user friction.
Looking Forward
OpenAI’s healthcare exploration occurs within a sector characterised by regulatory complexity, interoperability challenges, and entrenched adoption barriers. Success will require navigating healthcare provider relationships, patient data protection requirements, and the technical challenges of aggregating fragmented health information systems. The company’s existing user base and conversational AI capabilities provide advantages, but historical Big Tech failures suggest execution risks remain substantial.
Article based on reporting by Silicon UK