Jan 7 - OpenAI on Wednesday launched a ChatGPT Health tab that answers health-related questions and lets users upload ​medical records and connect wellness apps such as Apple Health ‌and MyFitnessPal.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

The move expands ChatGPT's capabilities by providing users a dedicated ‌space to access health information, which is one of the most popular uses of the chatbot.

More than 230 million people globally ask health and wellness-related questions on ChatGPT every week, OpenAI said.

ChatGPT Health can ⁠be used for tasks ‌such as understanding recent test results, preparing for doctor appointments, getting advice on diet and workout routines, or ‍evaluating tradeoffs between different insurance options based on individual healthcare patterns.

CONTEXT

The launch comes as regulators reassess health technology oversight. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ​Commissioner Marty Makary said on Tuesday the agency would limit ‌regulation of wearable devices and software designed to support healthy lifestyles.

Makary has called ChatGPT a product that should be promoted while cautioning against major safety concerns.

KEY QUOTE

"To keep your health information protected and secure, (ChatGPT) Health operates as a separate space with enhanced privacy to protect ⁠sensitive data. Conversations in Health are ​not used to train our foundation models," ​OpenAI said.

WHAT'S NEXT

OpenAI plans to expand access and make ChatGPT Health available to all users on web and ‍iOS in the ⁠coming weeks.

It is initially providing access to a small group of early users with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans ⁠outside of the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to test ‌the experience.

(Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese and Puyaan Singh ‌in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)