OpenAI has officially entered the healthcare technology arena with ChatGPT Health, a dedicated feature announced on January 7, 2026, that allows users to securely connect medical records and wellness apps directly to the AI chatbot. This marks a significant strategic expansion for the company, targeting the more than 230 million people who already turn to ChatGPT weekly with health and wellness questions.​

What ChatGPT Health Offers

ChatGPT Health creates a separate, encrypted space within the platform specifically designed for health-related conversations. Users can integrate their medical records through a partnership with b.well, a health data connectivity platform, and sync data from popular wellness apps, including Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, AllTrails, Function, Instacart, and Peloton. The feature provides lab test insights, personalized nutrition advice, meal-planning suggestions, and workout recommendations tailored to each individual's health data.​

Unlike standard ChatGPT conversations, the Health experience keeps all health-related files, dialogues, and connected applications isolated from other interactions. Fidji Simo, OpenAI's CEO of Applications, described ChatGPT Health as "another advancement towards transforming ChatGPT into a personal super-assistant, capable of offering information and resources to help you achieve your objectives in various aspects of life".​

Privacy Architecture and Safety Measures

OpenAI emphasizes that ChatGPT Health includes "purpose-built encryption and isolation to keep health conversations protected and compartmentalized". The company explicitly states that health conversations will not be used to train its foundation models, addressing a primary concern among healthcare privacy advocates. Users can view or delete health-related memories at any time through dedicated controls.​

The underlying model has been evaluated using HealthBench, an assessment framework developed in May 2025 with physician input to measure AI performance on realistic health scenarios. This framework scores responses based on safety, medical correctness, clarity, and appropriate escalation of care rather than traditional exam-style testing. OpenAI has worked with "a few hundred physicians across the world" over more than two years to develop the service.​

Strategic Healthcare Positioning

The healthcare sector represents a critical growth opportunity for OpenAI. Following the introduction of the GPT-5 model, CEO Sam Altman told CNBC that healthcare might be "the [area] where there the strongest [potential] of any". The company's internal research studying a four-week period in late 2025 found that ChatGPT averaged more than 580,000 healthcare-related messages per week from hospital deserts alone.​

B.well's Chief AI and Technology Officer, Imran Qureshi, highlighted the technical infrastructure advantage:

"Today, AI is only able to work across a small part of the patient record. The b.well Health SDK for AI finally enables AI to work across the full patient record — spanning multiple EMRs and with complete access to both structured data and unstructured data".

This partnership reflects a broader industry shift toward business-to-business health infrastructure models, in which AI platforms leverage existing interoperability networks rather than building healthcare connectivity from scratch.​

Important Limitations and Disclaimers

OpenAI is explicit that ChatGPT Health is not designed for diagnosis or treatment and should not replace professional medical care. The feature will help users find fitness tips, assess medical records, and prepare for medical visits, but it refrains from making formal diagnoses. When users initiate health-related discussions in standard ChatGPT, the chatbot will recommend transitioning to the Health product for additional protections.​

Rollout Timeline and Availability

ChatGPT Health is initially rolling out to a limited group of early adopters who will provide feedback to refine the experience. The feature is available for users with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans outside of the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Medical record integrations and some app connections are currently available only in the United States, with Apple Health requiring iOS. OpenAI plans to broaden access and expand availability across web and iOS platforms in the coming weeks.​

As AI increasingly intersects with healthcare delivery, ChatGPT Health represents OpenAI's attempt to balance accessibility and innovation with the privacy protections and clinical rigor that sensitive health information demands.

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