Amazon is introducing an AI-powered assistant to One Medical, the tech-forward major care supplier it acquired in 2023. Dubbed ‘Well being AI,’ Amazon says the device “supplies 24/7 personalised well being steering based mostly in your medical information.”
The corporate says Well being AI can clarify lab outcomes, assist handle medicines, and e book appointments for sufferers. Amazon additionally says it will probably “analyze pictures” however does not specify whether or not this implies medical imaging or consumer uploaded images. Whereas the corporate particularly says the device “enhances, however doesn’t change,” a affected person’s healthcare supplier, it additionally vaguely says the AI can “reply basic and sophisticated well being questions” whereas “contemplating your distinctive well being historical past.”
“Well being AI acknowledges when signs, conditions, or particular queries require or profit from human medical judgment,” reads the corporate’s announcement, whereas giving few particulars on simply how a lot medical recommendation the AI device is empowered to provide.
Use of AI instruments brings up information privateness issues, and Amazon says it follows HIPAA-compliant privateness and safety practices. The corporate says {that a} consumer’s conversations with Well being AI are “not routinely added to your medical file.” This in fact implies the choice to do exactly that. It additionally says the corporate does not promote members’ protected well being info.
One Medical has a restricted variety of brick-and-mortar workplaces in main metros all through the US, however the focus of the corporate appears to be telehealth companies. These companies are provided as a part of an annual subscription, which is discounted for Amazon Prime members. That is solely the newest funding Amazon has made within the healthcare house. In recent times the tech large has begun same-day prescription deliveries in sure markets, and constructed merchandising machines for prescribed drugs.
Well being AI follows the development of AI firms competing to enter healthcare with their AI-powered chatbots. Google added an AI well being coach to the Fitbit app final 12 months, and OpenAI introduced a devoted well being portal inside ChatGPT in January.
