OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Health to Analyse Medical Records, Sparking Privacy Concerns
Frank Ocansey
Editor, PulseView
OpenAI has launched a new feature in the United States called ChatGPT Health, enabling users to upload and analyse their medical records in order to receive more personalised health-related responses.
While the company says the tool has been designed with enhanced privacy safeguards, campaigners have warned that the use of sensitive health data raises serious concerns.
The new feature allows users to share medical documents alongside data from fitness and wellbeing apps such as Apple Health, Peloton, and MyFitnessPal. ChatGPT then uses the information to provide tailored answers to health and lifestyle questions.
OpenAI stressed that ChatGPT Health is not intended to diagnose or treat medical conditions and should not replace professional healthcare. The company also said that conversations within the health feature would be stored separately from other chats and would not be used to train its artificial intelligence models.
Despite these assurances, digital rights experts have urged caution.
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Privacy and Data Protection Worries
Andrew Crawford, a senior policy adviser at the US-based Center for Democracy and Technology, said it was “crucial” that protections around users’ health data were airtight.
“Health data is among the most sensitive information people can share,” he said. “As AI companies push towards greater personalisation to increase the value of their services, strong safeguards are essential.”
Crawford also warned that OpenAI’s exploration of advertising as a future business model makes the separation between health data and other user information particularly important.
“Any blurring of those boundaries could put people at risk,” he added.
Growing Demand for AI Health Advice
According to OpenAI, more than 230 million people ask ChatGPT questions about health and wellbeing every week, highlighting the scale of public demand for accessible medical information.
In a blog post announcing the feature, OpenAI said ChatGPT Health offers “enhanced privacy to protect sensitive data” and is designed to support, not replace, medical care.
The company said access would initially be limited to a small group of early users, with a waitlist opened for others interested in joining.
A ‘Watershed Moment’ for AI and Healthcare
Some industry figures see the launch as a major turning point. Max Sinclair, chief executive of AI marketing platform Azoma, described ChatGPT Health as a “watershed moment” that could reshape how people engage with healthcare information.
“OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT as a trusted medical adviser,” he said. “This could influence not only how patients understand their health, but also the products and services they choose to manage it.”
Sinclair added that the move could prove significant for OpenAI as competition intensifies from rivals such as Google’s Gemini, which is also expanding its health-related AI offerings.
Not Available in the UK or EU
ChatGPT Health has not yet launched in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, or the European Economic Area, where strict data protection laws regulate how companies collect and process personal health information.
OpenAI has not confirmed whether or when the feature will be rolled out in those regions.
Crawford noted that in the United States, some companies operating AI health tools are not subject to the same legal protections.
“When it’s left to individual companies to set their own rules, inadequate safeguards can put sensitive health data in real danger,” he said.
Balancing Innovation and Trust
While AI-powered health tools promise greater accessibility and personalisation, experts agree that trust will depend on transparency, regulation, and robust privacy protections.
As generative AI becomes more deeply embedded in everyday life, the success of features like ChatGPT Health may hinge on whether users feel confident that their most personal data is truly secure.
Source: BBC
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