OpenAI rolls out Health in ChatGPT for U.S. users with connected records and Apple Health

OpenAI is rolling out Health in ChatGPT to logged-in users in the United States, adding a dedicated way to connect personal health information to conversations with the chatbot. The July 23 launch covers users 18 and older on web and iOS across Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans, according to OpenAI's announcement.

The feature lets people connect Apple Health data and supported medical records, then ask ChatGPT questions grounded in that context. OpenAI says the system can help compare a new lab result with earlier tests, summarize changes since a previous appointment, or relate sleep, activity, and workouts to a routine. The company is positioning the feature as a way to make scattered information from patient portals, wearables, apps, and records easier to review, not as a replacement for professional medical care.

What changes for users

Earlier versions of OpenAI's health experience required users to enter a separate health area before getting the full benefit of connected information. OpenAI says testing showed that more than 70% of health-related conversations by people with access happened outside that dedicated space. With the new rollout, users can choose to let ChatGPT draw on relevant Health information in ordinary chats, while Health remains the place to manage connected accounts, synced records, recent data, suggested prompts, and previous health conversations.

The company says ChatGPT can use connected context such as medications, lab results, recent visits, sleep, activity, and user-provided goals when permission is granted. For example, it may factor in a dietary restriction when helping plan meals or a recent injury when suggesting lower-impact activities. OpenAI also says users can explicitly invoke the context with @Health.

Privacy and limits

Because the product touches sensitive data, OpenAI's privacy and safety claims are central to the launch. The company says connected medical records, Apple Health information, and conversations that use that information are not used to train foundation models or target ads. It also says health data receives additional encryption protections, and that ChatGPT asks for permission by default before using connected medical records and Apple Health data to personalize a response.

Users can disconnect health accounts, and OpenAI says synced data from disconnected sources is deleted from its systems within 30 days, while information already included in chat history remains until those conversations are deleted. The company also describes additional safeguards before ChatGPT takes actions in other connected tools that could disclose health information.

The launch moves consumer AI further into personal health management, where convenience and context can be valuable but mistakes carry higher stakes. OpenAI says physicians helped test the feature before release and warns that ChatGPT can still be wrong. For users, the practical takeaway is that Health in ChatGPT may make records and wearable data easier to understand, but important decisions still need verification with qualified clinicians.

Sources

• openai.com

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