Sam Altman Explains Why He Founded an AI Medical Company

 Abstract:

 

More and more people are using ChatGPT to diagnose whether they have a disease. Sam Altman said that Thrive AI Health will use AI to provide personalized health predictions and assessments, making it easier for people to get affordable, high-quality health care. Some analysts are concerned about data privacy and over-reliance on AI.

 

With AI in the air, should we trust it to improve our health?

 

Sam Altman believes the answer depends on how you view AI and how much you trust Thrive AI Health's program.

 

Thrive AI Health is a new company co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington, which aims to use the power of AI to improve people's health. The company plans to develop a personalized AI health coach that can provide advice on diet, exercise, sleep and stress management.

 

Sam Altman's goal is ambitious. In an interview with the media, he called Thrive AI Health "rebuilding the "critical infrastructure" in the healthcare system":

 

If successful, Thrive AI Health could help people reduce their risk of chronic disease, improve their quality of life, and lower healthcare costs.

 

Sam Altman said that his decision to join Huffington was partly due to the stories he heard from some people who used ChatGPT to diagnose their own diseases. "People are willing to share their personal information with chatbots, even if that information may be stored permanently." He believes that Thrive AI Health can take advantage of this trend to provide valuable products and services.

 

Huffington believes that AI will be able to provide personalized advice because Thrive AI Health will generate "personalized AI-driven insights" based on users' biometrics and health data, distributing information and reminders to help them improve their behavior. She stressed that this will be more effective than the advice provided by the current medical system, which is often general and impersonal.

 

More importantly, Thrive AI Health can help people change their behaviors first, thereby improving their health. "Changing behaviors can be difficult, and Thrive AI Health can provide ongoing motivation and support."

 

Altman and Huffington said in an interview that Thrive AI Health can fill in the gaps in the healthcare system, such as lack of access and affordability. They pointed out that not everyone has access to qualified medical professionals, and AI health coaches can provide advice 24/7 at a lower cost.

 

So, what will the product look like? Because Thrive AI Health's product is still in the early stages of development, Huffington did not describe its specific form. But she said that Thrive AI Health's platform will be "used in a variety of possible modes."

 

It can be through your workplace, such as Microsoft Teams or Slack.

 

However, some analysts are skeptical of the company's plans. They worry about privacy issues and whether AI can provide accurate and useful health advice. In addition, some people have criticized the company's hype, saying that the product is unproven and exaggerates its potential benefits.

 

Columnist Charlie Warzel said:

 

It’s absurd to cite America’s expensive, inequitable healthcare infrastructure when promoting a non-existent for-profit product whose founder couldn’t even tell me if it would be an app.

 

Maybe it’s a catastrophic data breach waiting to happen.