OpenAI is developing ChatGPT Health, a dedicated service that would allow the chatbot to access users’ health data from medical apps and devices like smartwatches. The goal is to offer personalized health advice on topics like diet, exercise, and insurance.
Key Details
- User Interest: Health-related queries are among the most common on ChatGPT, with over 230 million users globally asking health and wellness questions weekly.
- Data Protection: OpenAI states health chats would be separated from general conversations, protected by purpose-built encryption, and not used to train AI models.
- Legal Barriers in Europe: The service must comply with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which classifies health data as “sensitive personal data.” Processing such data requires explicit user consent and falls under strict prohibitions with limited exceptions.
- Regional Rollout: OpenAI is in talks with European regulators but has not announced a launch timeline for the European Economic Area, the UK, or Switzerland. The company says it is working to make the service “available as soon as possible.”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously warned that current ChatGPT conversations are not legally confidential regarding health information. European users remain cautious about sharing health data, with a 2023 BEUC report highlighting strong public desire for greater control over how such information is handled.
ChatGPT Health represents a significant expansion of OpenAI’s services but faces substantial regulatory and privacy challenges, especially in Europe, where data protection standards are among the world’s strictest.
