Amazon launches its healthcare AI assistant on its website and app

Amazon announced on Tuesday that it’s expanding access to its healthcare AI assistant to its website and app. The assistant, called Health AI, was previously only available on the app for One Medical, the healthcare company Amazon acquired for $3.9 billion in 2023.

Health AI can answer questions, explain health records, manage prescription renewals, book appointments, and more. Users don’t need to be Prime subscribers or One Medical members to use the assistant, Amazon says.

Amazon says that while Health AI can answer general health questions without having access to an individual’s medical information, it’s designed to serve as a personalized health assistant that can offer more tailored guidance and take actions, such as connecting you with healthcare professionals and treatments.

Of course, there are risks associated with sharing your health information with AI, and researchers are warning against doing so, cautioning that companies are pulling user conversations for training.

Amazon said in a press release that it trains “Health AI models on abstracted patterns without directly identifying information.” For example, if multiple patients ask about medication interactions, Amazon says it might use these patterns, while keeping patient names private, to improve how Health AI responds to similar questions.

The company also said that all interactions with Health AI happen within a HIPAA-compliant environment, and that conversations are protected by “encryption and strict access controls.” However, Amazon didn’t share how exactly conversations are encrypted and who has access to them. TechCrunch has reached out for specifics.

If you give Health AI access to your health information, Amazon says this is done through the Health Information Exchange, which is the nationwide secure system for sharing patient medical data.

Health AI can then interpret your lab results, diagnoses, and medical records to provide accurate, personalized answers about your symptoms and medication, Amazon says.

If you need professional care, Health AI can connect you to a One Medical provider. Prime members in the U.S. using Health AI receive up to five free direct-message care consultations with a One Medical provider for over 30 common conditions, including cold and flu, allergies, acid reflux, pink eye, UTIs, erectile dysfunction, anti-aging skin care, hair loss, and more. Non-Prime members can connect with One Medical providers through Amazon’s pay-per-visit option.

Users can sign for for Health AI on the Amazon Health page. As Amazon expands access, they will receive an email once they are able to access the assistant.

Once users have access, they need to create or sign in to their personal Amazon Health profile. They can then start a conversation by typing their health question to Health AI on Amazon.com or in the Amazon app.

Users can ask questions like “Can you explain my recent cholesterol results and what they mean for me?” or “I’m feeling congested and have a sore throat. What should I do?”

Amazon’s expansion of Health AI comes as popular AI services have quickly moved into the healthcare space. OpenAI released ChatGPT Health, a version of its chatbot tailored to answer health questions, in January. A week later, Anthropic announced its own healthcare-focused product, Claude for Healthcare.