Apple has officially decided to halt its ambitious plans for an AI-driven health assistant that was intended to help users monitor and manage their health data. According to a report from Bloomberg, the project has experienced a significant reduction in scope, with only a few features expected to eventually find their way into the Health app over time (source: Bloomberg).
Initially, Apple envisioned launching this AI health coach as part of a new subscription service called Health+. This innovative service aimed to integrate information from devices like the Apple Watch and iPhone along with lab results to provide personalized health guidance. For instance, if a user's device detected potential heart-related issues, the AI coach would deliver video content explaining the risks associated with heart disease. It would also suggest tailored diet and exercise regimens to mitigate those risks.
However, following these initial plans, Eddy Cue, Apple’s services chief who took charge of the health and fitness division last year, reportedly had reservations about the AI doctor project, codenamed "Mulberry." Sources indicate that Cue found the features offered by competitors, such as Oura and Whoop, to be superior, which likely influenced the decision to downscale Apple's efforts in this area (source: PCMag).
Despite the scaling back of the AI health service, some of the instructional videos created for the initiative will still be utilized and are expected to be released later this year. These videos may appear as suggestions based on your existing data within the Health app, offering value in a different format than originally intended (source: Bloomberg).
Nevertheless, Apple is not entirely abandoning the concept of AI-enhanced health advice. Rumors suggest that the company is working on transforming Siri into a more intelligent chatbot, which could leverage data from the Health app to answer health-related queries more effectively (source: PCMag). Additionally, users can expect Siri's much-anticipated ability to incorporate context from other applications to roll out soon with the upcoming iOS 26.4 update (source: PCMag).
This situation raises intriguing questions about the future of AI in health management. Will Apple manage to catch up with its competitors, or will it continue to fall behind in delivering innovative health solutions? What do you think about the company's shift away from the AI doctor concept? Share your thoughts in the comments!
