Amazon launches its healthcare AI assistant on its website and app

Amazon has launched its 'Health AI' assistant on its main website and mobile app, significantly expanding access beyond its exclusive availability on the One Medical app. The assistant, a product of Amazon's $3.9 billion acquisition of One Medical in 2023, is now available to all users, not just Prime subscribers or One Medical members. It functions as a personalized health concierge, capable of answering general questions, interpreting lab results and diagnoses, managing prescription renewals, and booking appointments. For more direct care, it can connect users to healthcare professionals.

A key benefit for Prime members in the U.S. is access to up to five free direct-message consultations with a One Medical provider for over 30 common conditions, from colds and allergies to skin care and hair loss. Non-Prime users have a pay-per-visit option. Amazon emphasizes privacy, stating Health AI operates within a HIPAA-compliant environment with encryption and that its models are trained on abstracted patterns without directly identifying patient information. However, the company has not provided specific details on the encryption methods or access controls. This expansion places Amazon in direct competition with other tech giants like OpenAI and Anthropic, which have recently launched their own healthcare-focused AI products.