OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is considering a significant leap into consumer health products, including a generative AI-powered personal health assistant. This move signals a strategic expansion beyond its current core offerings, as reported by Business Insider on Monday, citing sources close to the company.
For years, major tech players like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have sought to empower consumers to control their medical data, with mixed results. Google, for instance, shut down its health record service in 2011 after it failed to gain traction. Similarly, Amazon discontinued its Halo fitness tracker business in 2023. Microsoft’s HealthVault platform also struggled to achieve widespread adoption. These past attempts highlight the challenges and complexities of entering the consumer health space.
OpenAI’s push into healthcare comes on the heels of several key strategic hires. In June, the company brought on Nate Gross, cofounder of the physician network Doximity, to lead its healthcare strategy. Following this, Ashley Alexander, a former Instagram executive, joined in August as vice president of health products. These appointments clearly demonstrate OpenAI’s serious intent to explore and develop in this new sector.
At the HLTH conference in October, Nate Gross revealed that ChatGPT currently attracts approximately 800 million weekly active users. A notable portion of these users are already seeking medical advice from the AI. This existing user behavior could be a strong indicator of demand for more structured and specialized AI-driven health support, potentially paving the way for OpenAI’s new ventures. The company is leveraging its existing user base and technological capabilities to tap into a market where its predecessors faced hurdles, aiming to create more impactful and widely adopted health solutions.
