• OpenAI launches "ChatGPT Health" feature to review medical records
• Rights groups warn of privacy risks

OpenAI has launched a new feature in the United States called "ChatGPT Health," aimed at analyzing users’ medical records to provide more personalized health answers and advice.

The company encouraged users to share their medical data along with information from other apps so it can be analyzed to offer personalized consultations. It clarified that conversations within "ChatGPT Health" will be stored separately from other chats and will not be used to train AI tools, noting that the feature is not intended for medical diagnosis or treatment.

Andrew Crawford, from the U.S. nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology, warned of the need for strict safeguards to protect users’ health data, emphasizing that health information is among the most sensitive data and must be fully protected, especially as AI companies aim to offer more personalized services linked to business models such as advertising.

According to OpenAI, more than 230 million people ask questions about their health and well-being on ChatGPT every week.

The company added in its official blog that the feature provides enhanced privacy to protect sensitive data, allowing users to share data from apps like Apple Health alongside medical records to deliver more accurate and relevant responses.

It emphasized that the feature is designed to support, not replace, healthcare, warning that AI tools can sometimes produce false or misleading information in ways that appear realistic and convincing.

Max Sinclair, founder of the AI marketing platform Azoma, described the launch of "ChatGPT Health" as a landmark moment that could reshape medical care and consumer behavior, stating that the technology could be a “major game-changer” for OpenAI amid increasing competition from rival chatbots such as Gemini.

OpenAI noted that the feature will initially be available to a limited group of early users, with a waitlist open for those seeking access.

Although currently available in the United States, the feature has not yet been launched in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, or Europe, where local laws require strict standards for processing and protecting user data.

Crawford warned that the launch means some companies not bound by privacy protections will collect, share, and use users’ health data, potentially putting this sensitive information at risk if adequate protections are not in place.