Oura to acquire Counsel Health for $625 million, a big bet on AI care | STAT – STAT

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By Mario Aguilar
Nov. 10, 2026
Health Tech Correspondent
Mario Aguilar
Mario covers technology in health care, including FDA regulation of artificial intelligence; how Medicare pays for health tech; the use of AI in clinical care; mental health chatbots; and consumer wearables. He’s also the co-author of the free, twice weekly STAT Health Tech newsletter. You can reach Mario on Signal at mariojoze.13.
Oura, the smart ring maker that just over a month ago delayed plans to go public over market uncertainty, announced on Tuesday that it will spend $625 million to acquire Counsel Health, a clinical artificial intelligence startup.
Counsel Health is the maker of a chatbot that users can talk with about health concerns before being transferred to a clinician for treatment and diagnosis over telehealth. The company had previously disclosed $36 million in funding. 
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The large transaction reflects a growing desire to connect consumer wearable devices to clinical care as well as the conviction that AI chatbots will be an important part of health care.
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Mario Aguilar
Health Tech Correspondent
Mario covers technology in health care, including FDA regulation of artificial intelligence; how Medicare pays for health tech; the use of AI in clinical care; mental health chatbots; and consumer wearables. He’s also the co-author of the free, twice weekly STAT Health Tech newsletter. You can reach Mario on Signal at mariojoze.13.
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