OpenAI introduces ChatGPT Health for health-focused conversations

OpenAI has announced the launch of ChatGPT Health, a new feature designed to give users a dedicated space to talk with ChatGPT about health and wellness topics. The company said the move responds to how widely the chatbot is already used for medical-related questions, noting that more than 230 million people ask about health and wellness on the platform every week. ChatGPT Health aims to organize these conversations separately from general chats, keeping sensitive health discussions from mixing with everyday uses of the AI.

According to OpenAI, placing health conversations in a separate section allows users to maintain clearer boundaries around personal information. If a user begins discussing a medical or wellness topic in a standard chat, ChatGPT will encourage them to continue the conversation within the Health section. This design is meant to ensure that health-related context does not unexpectedly appear in unrelated conversations later on.

While Health chats are kept separate, the feature can still draw on limited information from a user’s general ChatGPT activity when relevant. For example, if someone previously asked for help planning marathon training, the system may recognize them as a runner when they later discuss fitness goals in ChatGPT Health. OpenAI said this approach helps provide more useful and personalized responses without fully merging health data into other chats.

ChatGPT Health will also offer optional integration with personal health and wellness apps, including Apple Health, Function, and MyFitnessPal. This could allow users to reference activity data, nutrition information, or other metrics when talking with the AI. OpenAI emphasized that conversations within ChatGPT Health will not be used to train its AI models, addressing concerns about data privacy and sensitive information.

In a blog post, Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, described ChatGPT Health as an attempt to address common problems in healthcare, such as high costs, limited access to doctors, overloaded clinics, and fragmented care. She suggested that AI tools could help people better understand their health and prepare for conversations with medical professionals.

At the same time, OpenAI acknowledged the risks of relying on AI for medical guidance. Large language models generate responses based on patterns in data rather than verified facts, which means they can make mistakes or produce misleading information. OpenAI’s own terms of service clearly state that ChatGPT is not intended for diagnosing or treating medical conditions. The company said ChatGPT Health is expected to begin rolling out to users in the coming weeks.