OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Health – a new space within the AI chatbot specifically tailored for health and wellness. Announcing ChatGPT Health, OpenAI said “Health is already one of the most common ways people use ChatGPT, with hundreds of millions of people asking health and wellness questions each week.” “Designed in close collaboration with physicians, ChatGPT Health helps people take a more active role in understanding and managing their health and wellness—while supporting, not replacing, care from clinicians,” it added. Notably, the announcement comes months after OpenAI updated its usage policy on health and medical information after viral claims in October last year suggested that its usage policy prohibited ChatGPT from offering legal or medical advice.

Why OpenAI updated its usage policy

It all started with a post by betting platform Kalshi that wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) then: “JUST IN: ChatGPT will no longer provide health or legal advice”. The user was quick to delete the message, but the claims sparked confusion among ChatGPT users.

OpenAI’s head of health AI Karan Singhal then refuted the claim, saying “Not true”. “Despite speculation, this is not a new change to our terms. Model behavior remains unchanged,” he said.Dismissing the claims, OpenAI released an updated usage policy on October 29 that includes restrictions on the “provision of tailored advice that requires a license, such as legal or medical advice, without appropriate involvement by a licensed professional.” The change consolidated three separate policy documents – a universal policy, one for ChatGPT and one for API usage – into a single, unified set of rules. OpenAI then said that the update was designed to “reflect a universal set of policies across OpenAI products and services.”

What is ChatGPT Health

Sharing a blog post, OpenAI said that ChatGPT Health is designed to make health-related conversations more relevant by allowing users to securely connect medical records and wellness apps such as Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, and Function. With ChatGPT Health in place, users will now be able to ask the chatbot for an explanation of the lab report, summarize bloodwork before a doctor’s appointment, or provide diet and workout guidance based on connected health data. The company said that the tool is designed to support and not replace medical care and to help people in making more informed decisions.To get started with ChatGPT Health, users can sign up for the waitlist⁠ (opens in a new window) to request access. Once they get the access, they can select ‘Health’ from the sidebar menu in ChatGPT. Bring your medical records and the apps you use to track your health and wellness into Health. You can upload files directly, connect from tools (+) or “Apps” in Settings.