OpenAI launched its latest AI model on August 7, which the company says includes significant improvements to address health-related issues.

They express that this model works considerably better than previous versions on HealthBench, a benchmark that uses real-world scenarios and criteria defined by doctors.

It maintains that GPT-5 is designed to serve as a thinking partner, helping users understand their health, ask informed questions, and prepare for conversations with medical providers.

In a statement, OpenAI says the tool can tailor responses based on a user's context, knowledge level, and location.

However, they emphasize that GPT-5 is not intended to replace medical professionals, but rather to help users evaluate decisions and navigate care options.

OpenAI Puts Health in Focus

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, stated that health is one of the top reasons consumers They use ChatGPT because it allows them to have more control over their healthcare experience.

They announced that GPT-5 will be available in the free version of the ChatGPT app, meaning more consumers can start relying on the product for help making treatment decisions, understanding test results, and determining what questions to ask their doctors in the office.

The executive attended the White House “Make Health Tech Great Again” event on July 30, where they launched a private sector initiative to increase health data sharing. OpenAI was one of 60 companies that committed to the administration's interoperability priorities.

“For decades, bureaucrats and entrenched interests hid health data and prevented patients from taking control of their health (…) That ends today.We're breaking down digital barriers, giving power back to patients, and rebuilding a healthcare system that works for people. “This is how we begin to make America healthy again,” said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a press release.

What data does ChatGPT-5 use to provide answers?

GPT-5 primarily uses validated medical data and conversations to provide health answers and recommendations, relying on a model trained on more than 5,000 health conversations evaluated by doctors.

It does not use private personal data for its answers, but instead relies on general medical information and specialized benchmarks like HealthBench to improve its accuracy and reliability on health topics.

This model offers answers adapted to the context, knowledge level, and geographic location of the user, with a tone empathetic and clear explanations for non-experts. Additionally, GPT-5 acts as an “active thinking companion,” asking and adapting to the user to better understand their needs, and classifies emergency situations to recommend appropriate care.

What does an AI user search for regarding health?

An artificial intelligence (AI) user searching for health information typically queries topics such as specific symptoms and possible causes of their health problems, mental health (stress management, anxiety, and emotional issues), nutrition and diet, personalized exercise and fitness, prevention and wellness, medications and treatments, self-care, chronic disease management, vaccinations, and first aid.

AI is also used to provide rapid preliminary diagnoses, offer personalized recommendations based on medical history, support clinical decision-making, analyze medical images to detect diseases early (such as cancer), and facilitate efficiency in clinical trials and drug development.

AI users in healthcare are seeking both practical information for self-care and prevention, as well as support in diagnosis, personalized treatment and management of chronic conditions, benefiting from AI's ability to analyze large volumes of medical data and offer fast and accurate answers.

The most frequently consulted areas include:

In addition, AI facilitates services such as chatbots for 24/7 virtual care, treatment progress tracking, and personalized care based on individual data.

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