Amazon has broadened access to its artificial intelligence healthcare assistant, Health AI, making it available directly on the company’s website and mobile app.

Previously, the tool was limited to the One Medical application, the healthcare service Amazon acquired for approximately $3.9 billion in 2023.

The expansion means that a wider group of users can now interact with the assistant for medical guidance and healthcare management.

Health AI is designed to help users answer health-related questions, interpret medical records, manage prescription renewals, and schedule appointments.

According to Amazon, the assistant can be used by anyone and does not require a Prime membership or subscription to One Medical. This wider accessibility signals Amazon’s increasing push into the digital healthcare sector.

While the assistant can respond to general health inquiries without accessing personal records, it can also function as a more personalized tool if users grant permission to connect with their medical information.

Through a secure Health Information Exchange system, Health AI can review lab results, diagnoses, and other records to provide tailored explanations about symptoms, treatments, and medications.

Despite its potential benefits, experts have raised concerns about the risks of sharing sensitive medical information with artificial intelligence systems.

Researchers caution that some technology companies use conversations to improve their models. Amazon, however, said its system trains models using abstracted data patterns that do not include directly identifiable patient information.

The company also stated that all interactions with Health AI occur in a HIPAA-compliant environment and are protected through encryption and strict access controls.

Users can begin using the assistant by creating or signing into their Amazon Health profile. Once registered, they can ask questions ranging from explanations of cholesterol test results to advice on common symptoms such as sore throats or congestion.

Source: TechCrunch