Google is deepening its investment in healthcare with new updates to Search, designed to give users more personalized, AI-powered insights into their health questions.
One of the most notable additions, unveiled on Tuesday, is a feature called “What People Suggest.” This feature uses artificial intelligence to aggregate commentary from people with similar health conditions. For example, someone with arthritis could search for how others with the same condition approach exercise. The feature is now available on mobile devices in the U.S.
Google also announced the expansion of its health knowledge panels—those information boxes that appear alongside search results—to cover thousands more health topics. These panels are rolling out in additional countries and languages, including Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese, starting with mobile access.
While Google has launched several healthcare projects over the years, the company has struggled to define a cohesive business model. After forming a dedicated Google Health unit in 2018, which grew to over 500 employees, Google dissolved the unit in 2021. Still, the company insists it is “all-in on health,” according to Dr. Karen DeSalvo, Google’s Chief Health Officer.
“With extraordinary advances in AI, we have an opportunity to reimagine the entire health experience,” DeSalvo said during an event in New York City.
Much of Google’s recent healthcare work has revolved around AI innovation. The company previously introduced AI Overviews, which generate quick summaries for search queries, including health-related ones like “How do I know if I have the flu?” However, the feature had a rocky start. A December report from The Senior List revealed that a panel of medical experts found 70% of AI Overviews for health topics potentially risky.
In response, Google said recent upgrades using its Gemini AI models have improved the quality and reliability of health-related AI Overviews.
The company is also building tools for healthcare professionals. In late 2023, it launched MedLM, a suite of AI models tailored for clinical tasks such as summarizing doctor-patient conversations and supporting complex research. It also introduced Vertex AI Search for Healthcare, enabling healthcare organizations to build custom tools that surface information from multiple data sources to better support clinicians and patients.
As Google continues refining its healthcare offerings, these updates mark another step toward integrating trusted AI into everyday health decisions. They highlight the challenges of accuracy and trust in medical information.
