Apple has reportedly dumped its planned AI health coach

Apple is reportedly no longer launching the planned AI feature that could “replicate” a doctor and act as a personal health coach.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company has been scaling back the unannounced initiative in recent weeks following a company-wide reshuffling in which Services Chief Eddy Cue took over the health division.

Although Apple never officially announced the AI health coach, reports last year indicated that the company was working on a service that has since been dubbed Health+. According to Engadget, it was supposed to help users track food and correct workout form using their iPhone’s camera, and to recommend lifestyle changes based on their health data. Apparently, Apple even produced videos for the service, including ones that explained medical conditions and training guides.

Bloomberg noted that Cue reportedly wanted Apple to move faster and be more competitive when it came to its health-focused products, considering that the most well-known names in the field are already offering similar (and more compelling) health-related features on their iOS apps. With that in mind, Cue didn’t think that Apple’s plans could compete.

Now, this doesn’t mean these features will not roll out — Instead, Apple is releasing them individually and over time, rather than as a single package. The videos Apple shot and the capability to make recommendations based on user data could be available early this year.

Apple is also reportedly working on an AI health chatbot to answer wellness questions. Engadget notes that this is just an interim solution, and that the company’s goal is to let the upcoming Siri chatbot handle those inquiries in the future.

To add a bit of context, OpenAI recently released its health portal, which also features an Apple Health integration, allowing ChatGPT Health to make recommendations based on user data from Apple’s health app.

Source: Bloomberg, Engadget

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