Samsung rolled out Tuesday a beta version of its artificial intelligence-powered personal health assistant.
The new AI assistant—dubbed Samsung Health Assistant—is embedded into the Samsung Health app and is currently available to eligible users across the U.S. It allows users to ask health questions and receive personalized guidance and recommendations through its “unique knowledge base.” Insights have been validated by a team of physicians and certified health coaches, executives say.
“Our new Health Assistant advances Samsung’s vision for Connected Care by giving users a deeper understanding of their mind and body through daily health monitoring and increasing opportunities for early detection,” said Hon Pak, M.D., senior vice president and head of the digital health team at Samsung Electronics, in a statement.
The AI assistant will connect health information using Samsung Health’s “five core pillars of wellness:” sleep, activity, nutrition, mindfulness and vitals.
The tech giant previously announced plans to unveil the tool in August. It marks a significant push to bring AI-driven medical guidance into consumers' homes, Samsung executives said back in August.
It’s part of Samsung’s broader efforts to dive deeper into healthcare. Last July it acquired digital health platform Xealth—and has recently announced partnerships with Lark Health and Neuroscape.
The company said its acquisition of Xealth connects “everyday wellness data to clinical care,” which speeds up its ability to link user-consented health insights with care teams. The acquisition would bolster the company's efforts to integrate data from its wearables and devices into clinical workflows and electronic medical records, Samsung executives said.
“By leveraging our ecosystem and partnerships, we aim to deliver a holistic understanding of health and drive real action, helping users build healthier habits and bringing real change to their lives,” Pak said.
Doctors only see patients a few times a year, yet patients are making healthcare and lifestyle decisions every day. Pak said in an interview in August that technology can help bridge that gap. "Care becomes actionable as a nudge through your watch or a health AI coach," he said.
Planned future capabilities of the AI health assistant include coaching to help users achieve health goals, as well as personalized responses and recommendations.