ChatGPT Health: Medical Info Search by OpenAI – AI News – #2 January 2026

Artificial intelligence is increasingly entering the most sensitive areas of our lives. OpenAI has just announced the launch of ChatGPT Health – a dedicated module designed to securely connect user health data with the analytical capabilities of a large language model. This step could completely transform how patients prepare for doctor visits and manage their well-being.

Given that over 230 million people ask ChatGPT health-related questions every week, the company decided to create an environment that not only answers questions but does so based on the user’s specific medical context.

ChatGPT Health is a new, isolated space within the OpenAI ecosystem, designed specifically to handle sensitive health data. This solution addresses the problem of medical information fragmentation – from test results in PDF format to fitness app data and medical visit history.

The tool is not used for diagnosis or treatment – as OpenAI explicitly emphasizes – but acts as an assistant helping to understand complex test results, suggesting questions for a doctor, or interpreting changes in vital parameters over time.

A key functionality of the new module is the ability to securely connect it with external data sources. Users (initially in the US) can integrate ChatGPT Health with:

Thanks to this, instead of generic advice like “how to lower cholesterol,” the user can receive a personalized analysis: “How has my cholesterol level changed compared to last year’s results?”.

Introducing AI into the medical sector (YMYL – Your Money Your Life) raises legitimate privacy concerns. OpenAI has implemented a range of safeguards to protect this extremely sensitive information.

ChatGPT Health operates in a so-called “sandbox.” This means:

The user has full control over what data they share. At any time, you can disconnect an app (e.g., MyFitnessPal) or delete medical “memory” history from settings. The system also requires explicit consent to retrieve data – nothing happens in the background without user knowledge.

To avoid “hallucinations” in such a critical area, OpenAI spent over two years collaborating with more than 260 doctors from 60 countries. The result of this cooperation is not just the model itself, but also a response quality assessment system – HealthBench.

HealthBench relies on evaluation sheets created by clinicians rather than simple tests. The model is evaluated for safety, clarity, and – crucially – the ability to recognize situations where AI must step back and refer the patient to a specialist.

Parallel to the consumer version, OpenAI is developing a B2B offer. ChatGPT for Healthcare is a suite of tools for hospitals and clinics, already being implemented in institutions such as Boston Children’s Hospital and Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.

These tools aim to:

Currently, ChatGPT Health is being gradually released to a small group of users in the US, with plans for a broader rollout on iOS and browsers in the coming weeks.

What about Europe? Due to strict GDPR regulations and the AI Act in the European Union, the launch in European markets may be delayed. OpenAI must adapt its sensitive data processing procedures to local standards, which – as the history of implementing new features (e.g., Advanced Voice Mode) shows – may take time.

Privacy experts, such as Andrew Crawford from the Center for Democracy and Technology, warn that maintaining strict separation between health data and the rest of the system will be crucial, especially in the context of potential future advertising models. Despite this, the launch is seen as a watershed moment in democratizing access to personalized medical knowledge.

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