Microsoft Makes a Move Towards AI-Powered Healthcare With Copilot Health

Microsoft introduced Copilot Health, a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered medical insights feature, on Thursday. It is a separate, dedicated space within Copilot where users can add their health data from various sources, and then let the AI chatbot analyse the data to provide personalised information. Users will also be able to ask questions about their ailments and overall well-being. However, the Redmond-based tech giant has emphasised that the AI tool is not a replacement for doctors or medical professionals.

Microsoft Releases Copilot Health in the US

In a newsroom post, the tech giant announced Copilot Health and described it as “a separate, secure space within Copilot where medical intelligence makes sense of your information and delivers personalised health insights that you can act on.” Microsoft says the AI-powered tool solves the problem of the lack of personalised health insights despite the overabundance of medical and health data.

It essentially gives users a space where they can add their health records, wearable data, and test results, and then let Copilot connect the dots. Once the AI has processed the information, it will be able to answer questions about everyday ailments and any major issues the user is facing. Users will also be able to ask for ways to improve overall health and receive personalised solutions.

The company claims that it already responds to more than 50 million consumer health queries each day. Copilot Health's responses also hold onto the high standard by providing citations and URLs to source material with responses. Additionally, users can also find expert-written answer cards from Harvard Health. Microsoft says it has also made it easier to find a doctor or a hospital which accepts the insurance the user has.

At launch, Copilot Health supports more than 50 wearable devices and platforms, including Apple Health, Oura, Fitbit, and more. At the same time, it can also source user health records from more than 50,000 US hospitals and providers, with permission. Additionally, comprehensive lab test results from Function can also be uploaded to the AI tool.

Coming to data safety, the tech giant claims that it will store users' data separately from regular Copilot data. Additionally, the data is said to be subject to additional access, privacy, and safety controls. Users will be able to manage and delete their information and disconnect the connectors to health data sources and wearables whenever they choose to.

Copilot Health is currently launching in English in the US to users aged 18 and older. Microsoft said it is developing additional language and voice options and will expand support to more regions soon.