Amazon has expanded its Health AI assistant to its website and app, broadening access to the tool beyond its initial limitation to the One Medical app, following its $3.9 billion acquisition in 2023.
The expansion significantly broadens access to the tool, making it available to all users rather than just Prime subscribers or One Medical members. This move places Amazon in direct competition with other major AI providers entering the healthcare sector. The Health AI assistant can answer health questions, explain medical records, manage prescription renewals, and book appointments. It connects users to One Medical providers for professional care, with U.S. Prime members receiving up to five free direct-message consultations for over 30 common conditions. Non-Prime members can access providers through a pay-per-visit option.
Amazon trains Health AI on abstracted patterns without using directly identifying information, and all interactions occur within a HIPAA-compliant environment protected by encryption and strict access controls. With user permission, the assistant accesses health information via the Health Information Exchange to interpret lab results and medical records.
“TechCrunch has reached out for specifics” regarding how conversations are encrypted and who has access to them, indicating ongoing scrutiny of the service’s data handling practices.
This expansion follows the release of healthcare-focused AI products from OpenAI and Anthropic in January, with OpenAI releasing ChatGPT Health and Anthropic announcing Claude for Healthcare, further intensifying competition in the healthcare AI sector.
