As OpenAI and Anthropic move deeper into healthcare, experts say AI chatbots are becoming the new front door to medicine. This shift is shaking things up for some health tech startups, redefining the patient-provider relationship, and intensifying debates over safety, privacy and accountability.
Bessemer Venture Partners predicts that 2026 will be a breakout year for healthcare AI, driven by increased adoption of clinical AI, a new class of AI-first value-based care companies, and the emerging digital health category of data infrastructure tools.
Alan Murray on improving access for medical transportation.
AI rivals Anthropic and OpenAI are both expanding their large language models into healthcare. Anthropic is blending its enterprise and consumer tools in a single platform, while OpenAI is separating its consumer-facing ChatGPT Health from its industry-focused OpenAI for Healthcare. They are both targeting patients, providers and researchers with AI tools for tasks ranging from personal health insights to coding to prior authorization.
OpenAI announced a new dedicated platform for health conversations. The company said the new offering is not intended for medical diagnosis or treatment — but rather to provide support for personal health navigation.
HHS proposed changes that would roll back many Biden-era policies, eliminate most health tech certification criteria,and scrap planned transparency requirements for healthcare AI tools. The agency argues the move will reduce regulatory burden and save developers time and money.
New research shows that while health systems are pouring money into AI tools, most are still struggling to use the technology to meaningfully engage patients. Moving beyond generic outreach to “N-of-1 personalization” could be key to closing engagement gaps and improving patient outcomes at scale, said Amy Bucher, chief behavioral officer at Lirio.
Greenway Health blends smart technology with human expertise to elevate revenue cycle.
Clinical decision support startup Aidoc has become a major player in healthcare AI thanks to its focus on acute, life-or-death cases and its R&D-first approach. As Aidoc continues to innovate, Chief Business Officer Tom Valent thinks its commitment to patient safety and transparency will be key contributors to future success.
Mass General Brigham spun out a new company offering a generative AI platform that can rapidly interpret both structured and unstructured clinical data. Right now, the tool’s primary application is to accelerate and improve the accuracy of patient screening for clinical trials.
Nvidia has quietly become one of the most influential players in healthcare technology by supplying the accelerated computing and AI infrastructure that powers everything from imaging to drug discovery. The company’s restraint — focusing on enabling the ecosystem rather than owning it — has helped cement its role as the indispensable backbone of the healthcare industry’s AI transformation.
Philips showcased two major imaging innovations at RSNA 2025 — one a CT system that integrates AI into its hardware, and the other a new helium-free MRI model that embeds AI directly into signal acquisition. Both aim to improve image quality, efficiency and ease of integration — but commercial availability and real-world adoption are still forthcoming.
In a landscape where complexity has long been the norm, the power of one lies not just in unification, but in intelligence and automation.
Samsung launched a new ultrasound system at this year’s RSNA conference. The system, called the R20, is designed to reduce user variability through real-time guidance, as well as provide AI-powered diagnostic support.
Ostro’s health AI literacy course set a Guinness World Record this week, with 698 participants completing the 30-minute online lesson in 24 hours. The course offers practical training on generative AI, compliance and human-in-the-loop processes to improve understanding across the healthcare and life sciences industries.
Sanford Health is embedding AI into its EHR to turn vast patient data into actionable insights. Tools like a chronic kidney disease module and a personalized colon cancer screening model are helping clinicians catch disease earlier and tailor care to individual patients, explained Jeremy Cauwels, the health system's chief medical officer.
Startups in the ambient documentation space are moving beyond simple scribing to tools that can handle tasks like intake, coding and care coordination, according to Heidi Health CEO Tom Kelly. Standing out in this crowded market is a challenge, and companies’ success will hinge on creating products clinicians actually want to use, he added.
AI continues to dominate digital health funding, but investors and health systems are demanding proof that these tools actually save money — and quickly. AI startups without clear, measurable ROI are finding it harder to stand out, explained Vig Chandramouli, partner at Oak HC/FT.