OpenAI is reportedly exploring a move into consumer health tools, including a personal health assistant or health data aggregator, as it seeks to expand its footprint in the healthcare sector. Sources close to the company informed Business Insider that the AI leader is evaluating multiple opportunities in an industry where major tech firms like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have struggled to make significant inroads.
This potential shift would represent one of OpenAI’s most ambitious steps beyond its established role in AI infrastructure and into software tailored specifically for industry applications. The company’s recent hires signal its commitment to this direction; in June, OpenAI appointed Nate Gross, co-founder of healthcare technology company Doximity, to spearhead its healthcare strategy. Two months later, Ashley Alexander, formerly of Instagram, joined as vice president of health products.
With approximately 800 million weekly active users on ChatGPT, many seeking medical advice, the shift into health tools appears timely. Greg Yap, a partner at Menlo Ventures, noted that consumers traditionally turned to Google for health inquiries but are increasingly directing these questions to large language models (LLMs) for a more conversational exploration of information. “I think OpenAI has a tremendous opportunity in that sector,” he remarked.
Investors believe OpenAI could successfully address a long-standing challenge in the healthcare space: the personal health record (PHR). Current health data privacy regulations and financial incentives result in patient information being scattered across various healthcare providers. The concept of a PHR aims to consolidate this data into a single platform, controlled by the patient.
Historical attempts at creating effective PHR systems have encountered significant obstacles. For instance, Microsoft’s HealthVault, launched in 2007, was discontinued in 2019 after failing to attract users, primarily because it required manual data uploads from patients. Similarly, Google’s health record initiative, which began in 2008, ended in 2012, overshadowed by regulatory issues regarding patient data access. Although Apple still offers its Health Records feature on iPhones, it relies on hospitals to establish data-sharing agreements, creating additional barriers for patients.
“Apple’s health record, and any of them that rely on us to log into every portal, download and manually share data, that’s friction that keeps people from getting value from their own health data,” Yap observed. He emphasized that AI tools, like those OpenAI is pursuing, also face this friction, stating, “You can’t personalize information if you don’t have the data.”
Blake Wu, a partner at NEA, highlighted that while companies like Amazon and Microsoft have hovered in and out of the healthcare space, OpenAI has shown a more aggressive commitment. “We haven’t seen that same type of behavior with OpenAI and Anthropic. It’s been pedal all the way down, aggressive, let’s look at everything, let’s talk with everyone,” Wu noted, suggesting that this positions OpenAI as a serious contender in the sector.
OpenAI is already engaged in collaborations with pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly and Sanofi, focusing on drug discovery and development. Additionally, it is working with health technology providers such as Penda Health on AI-powered clinical decision support tools. As OpenAI advances into the healthcare domain, its ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes and address user needs will be critical in determining its success.
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