Verily launches AI chatbot in increasingly competitive market

Verily is joining an increasingly competitive market for consumer-facing AI chatbots with the launch of its Verily Me app and companion bot, Violet.

The move by the precision health AI company is yet another in a long line of companies promoting consumer-facing AI chatbots, raising questions about which tool will become the go-to for patients seeking health information.

Verily Me is a centralized consumer app that lets users upload their individual medical histories from multiple providers and health systems, Verily explained. From there, users can get personalized health recommendations from a fleet of licensed healthcare providers.

The app will also include Violet, Verily's AI chatbot.

The company said Violet will be able to provide 24/7 insights into user health by leveraging any medical information the user has uploaded.

Verily says the app and Violet will help connect patients to care when they'd otherwise go without.

"The general availability of Verily Me, coupled with these powerful new features, marks a critical step toward a future where everyone can access truly personalized health guidance," Myoung Cha, chief product officer at Verily, said in an announcement. "We are committed to building a secure, private environment where personal health data serves the user, empowering them to take control of their well-being."

In addition to Violet, Verily Me includes care recommendation refreshes, which allow users to request a free, provider-led review of their latest health data and receive updated preventive screening recommendations. The app can also estimate macronutrients and nutritional insights into photos of users' meals, Verily said.

Like other consumer-facing AI chatbots, Verily is beta-testing symptom assessments based on users' uploaded medical records. The company said Violet does not bypass incomplete user information but rather asks follow-up questions to ensure it has a full view of user health before providing symptom analysis.

According to Vindell Washington, M.D., the chief clinical officer at Verily, this function sets the tool apart from more "generalist" competitors.

"Millions of consumers are turning to AI for medical questions, but generalist tools often lack the critical context needed to provide accurate advice," Washington said in the announcement. "Verily Me changes that. Our tailored approach is designed to gather the relevant details and explain why a suggestion is being made, ensuring all outputs are built on a foundation informed by clinical expertise."

Still, the consumer-facing AI chatbot market is quickly becoming crowded. Verily Me joins ChatGPT Health, Claude for Healthcare, Amazon One Medical's Health AI assistant and Microsoft's Copilot Health in leveraging user information to provide health insights.

Sara Heath has reported news related to patient engagement and health equity since 2015.