Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
by Suhasini Srinivasaragavan
12 Jan 2026
Image: ©Robert/Stock.adobe.com
Claude for Healthcare provides ‘HIPAA-ready’ tools for consumers, as well as healthcare providers.
In a strong push into the healthcare sector, enterprise AI giant Anthropic has launched a dedicated set of tools under Claude for medical queries, similar to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT Health that launched just days earlier.
While OpenAI targets general consumers with its new private health-specific service, ‘Claude for Healthcare’ provides “HIPAA-ready” tools – referring to the US law on patient privacy – for consumers, as well as healthcare providers.
According to Anthropic, Claude can summarise patient-uploaded health records, explain test results in plain language, detect patterns across fitness and health metrics, and prepare questions for appointments.
The data integration is private by design, claimed Anthropic. Users must explicitly opt-in to enable Claude to access these records. This permission can be rescinded at any time, Anthropic said, adding that users’ health data will not be used to train models.
Meanwhile, for healthcare providers, Claude can help speed up reviews for requests, coordinate care, as well as support healthcare start-ups in developing new ideas.
“When navigating through health systems and health situations, you often have this feeling that you’re sort of alone and that you’re tying together all this data from all these sources,” Eric Kauderer-Abrams, the head of life sciences at Anthropic told NBC News. “I’m really excited about getting to the world where Claude can just take care of all of that.”
Claude’s new health records functions are available in beta mode for Pro and Max users in the US, while integrations with Apple Health and Android Health Connect are rolling out in beta for the paid subscribers in the coming days.
The new service follows on from ‘Claude for Life Sciences’, which was launched last October. The service was designed to support preclinical research and development using the chatbot.
Alongside the dedicated health tool, Anthropic has also expanded on Claude’s life sciences prowess by expanding focus to clinical trial operations and regulatory stages of the development chain. Now, Claude can create draft clinical trial protocols, use trial data to track indicators and prepare regulatory submissions.
While it is generally understood that AI systems don’t actually “understand” information, models are increasingly being deployed in sensitive areas such as healthcare for large-scale data analysis.
And although marketed as private, experts encourage caution while using these new tools. Speaking to Time Magazine, Dr Danielle Bitterman said: “the most conservative approach is to assume that any information you upload into these tools, or any information that may be in applications you otherwise link to the tools, will no longer be private.”
OpenAI and Anthropic launched their health products at a time when there is growing scrutiny in the roles AI chatbots play in deterioration of user mental health.
OpenAI, for instance, is involved in a number of lawsuits surrounding such issues, including a California case where it is alleged that ChatGPT encouraged a man with mental illness to kill his mother and himself.
Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.
Related: privacy, AI, health, Anthropic, healthcare
Suhasini Srinivasaragavan is a sci-tech reporter for Silicon Republic
editorial@siliconrepublic.com
8 Jan 2026
17 Dec 2025
9 Dec 2025
8 Dec 2025
20 Nov 2025
8 Oct 2025
12 Jan 2026
12 Jan 2026
12 Jan 2026
12 Jan 2026
12 Jan 2026
9 Jan 2026
9 Jan 2026
9 Jan 2026
9 Jan 2026
9 Jan 2026
9 Jan 2026
9 Jan 2026
9 Jan 2026
9 Jan 2026
8 Jan 2026
8 Jan 2026
8 Jan 2026
8 Jan 2026
8 Jan 2026
8 Jan 2026
8 Jan 2026
8 Jan 2026
7 Jan 2026
7 Jan 2026
All content copyright 2002-2026 Silicon Republic Knowledge & Events Management Ltd. Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All rights reserved.
Website by Square1.io
