OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health, but it won't diagnose or treat you

ChatGPT Health introduces a dedicated space for health queries, allowing users to link medical records and fitness apps, even as OpenAI warns it is not a substitute for medical care

You probably have health information spread across multiple apps, lab reports and patient portals, and very little time with a doctor to make sense of it all. OpenAI now says its new feature, ChatGPT Health, can help organise and explain that information by letting users connect medical records and wellness apps, while clearly stating it is not meant to diagnose or treat.

What is ChatGPT Health and why is OpenAI launching it now?

ChatGPT Health is a separate, sandboxed space within ChatGPT where users can ask health and wellness questions, and optionally connect their medical records and fitness or nutrition apps so responses are grounded in their own data.

 

 

OpenAI says health is already one of the most common reasons people use ChatGPT. Based on its de-identified analysis, more than 230 million people worldwide ask health-related questions on ChatGPT every week. Many do it late at night, outside clinic hours, when Google searches spiral and doctors are unavailable.

 

Explaining the thinking behind this design, Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, said the goal is to help users feel “more informed, prepared, and confident navigating their health” without blurring boundaries between general AI use and sensitive medical information.

 

The launch of ChatGPT Health is really personal for me. I know how hard it can be to navigate the healthcare system (even with great care). AI can help patients and doctors with some of the biggest issues. More here: https://t.co/3mbS6a3OMc

— Fidji Simo (@fidjissimo) January 7, 2026

Is this AI diagnosing illnesses or replacing doctors?

Simo has stressed that the tool is meant to support, not replace, clinicians. “AI doesn’t replace medical care, but it can play an important role in helping people navigate a complicated healthcare system,” she said, adding that ChatGPT is particularly good at synthesising large amounts of information and explaining it clearly.

 

This clarification is important, especially given past incidents where AI-generated health advice caused real harm.

What kind of health data can users connect to ChatGPT Health?

According to OpenAI, users can choose to connect:

• Electronic medical records (currently US-only)
• Apple Health (iOS only)
• Wellness apps such as MyFitnessPal, Peloton, Weight Watchers, Function, AllTrails and Instacart

OpenAI says this allows ChatGPT to reference lab results, visit summaries, sleep patterns, activity levels and diet logs, if users explicitly authorise access.

 

The company says nothing is connected by default and users must opt in, app by app.

Who handles your medical records behind the scenes?

For medical records, OpenAI has partnered with b.well, a US-based digital health company that already connects data from more than 2.2 million healthcare providers.

 

b.well uses healthcare interoperability standards to pull records from patient portals, clean them up and make them usable by AI. OpenAI says users can disconnect records at any time, and doing so deletes the data from b.well’s systems.

Is health data kept separate from the rest of ChatGPT?

According to OpenAI, it is. The company says ChatGPT Health operates as a separate space with its own chat history, memory and files. Health conversations are not used to train OpenAI’s foundation models, and health data does not flow back into regular chats.

 

If a user starts a health conversation outside Health, ChatGPT may suggest moving it there for additional protections.

Could this worsen health anxiety for some users?

The company acknowledges that while AI is good at explaining risks, it can also unintentionally amplify fear. OpenAI says it has tuned ChatGPT Health to be informative without being alarmist, and to redirect users to healthcare professionals when action is needed.

 

“We’ve done a lot of work to make sure the model is informative without ever being alarmist,” Simo says.

 

Whether that balance holds up in real-world use, especially for people prone to health anxiety, will become clearer over time.

Who gets access to ChatGPT Health and when?

ChatGPT Health is rolling out gradually.

 

Users need to sign up for a waitlist. A small beta group will get access first, with plans to expand to all users, including free-tier users, over time.