Virtual Doctors and health coaches

This article explores the types of Virtual AI Doctors and Virtual Health Coaches today.

"When strategising for the future, most companies realise that, in essence, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 and every customer will be a health consumer or patient.

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Last week, Project Mulberry by Apple was all over (social) media, saying that the tech company is planning to launch a Virtual AI doctor. (link) From the articles and YouTube videos I've found online, it does not seem close to being a Virtual AI Doctor. It simply seems like a virtual health coach, something we already announced in the #healthusiasm Podcast over a year ago. That would also be totally in line with Apple's current strategy, which basically is centered around the privacy needed for gathering data. Apple Health hardly presents the data insightfully, so why would it suddenly turn into a Virtual AI Doctor with insights and recommendations? That would shift from the path they've been walking down for now. Then again, can they afford not to go down that road? Let's see what comes out of it.

After that article, and certainly seeing its huge interest, I was compelled to write a bit of an overview of the status of Virtual AI Doctors. Where are we with that? What companies are making strides towards such a health experience? And what can we expect soon in the space?

This article covers initiatives by Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Baidu, Deepseek, Ping An Good Doctor, Curai Health, K Health, Ada Health, Babylon Health, Oura, Panasonic, Alibaba, JD, Tencent, BeyonCa, Hyundai, and NEOM’s The Line.

Obviously an awful lot is happening right now, so claiming that this is a comprehensive overview would not be valid. But I did try to assemble examples from companies from all corners of the world, hoping to inspire you about this very promising evolution. For clarity, I've developed a structure that goes from reactive chatbots to proactive health coaches and ultimately to Virtual AI Doctors. I'm also convinced that many of the examples mentioned are already developing the subsequent phases towards Virtual AI Doctors. However, corporate innovation strategy is not up for grabs in most cases. My point? Most likely, this situation will accelerate radically in the next 2 years.

Enjoy the reading.

Stage 1: Reactive

AI Chatbots and Symptom Checkers

These chatbots are the ones we probably know best already. They respond to user-initiated input and are mainly used for triage or information delivery. Their key function is helping users understand symptoms and recommend next steps. These early virtual health tools typically rely on structured question-and-answer formats to narrow down possible causes and guide next actions—like seeking in-person care or resting at home. While limited in scope compared to more advanced AI systems, they’ve been crucial in expanding access to health information at scale, especially in under-resourced or overwhelmed health systems. It basically tries to solve one of the major issues in health care: access.

Babylon Health (now defunct): Once a pioneer in AI triage, Babylon developed a chatbot that simulated general practitioner consultations. It was used across the UK and internationally, even in partnerships with national health systems. Despite its eventual collapse due to business challenges, Babylon set the tone for what was possible—and the risks—when deploying AI at the frontline of care.
Ada Health: One of the most clinically trusted symptom checkers, Ada combines an extensive medical knowledge base with a user-friendly chatbot interface. It dynamically adapts its line of questioning based on user responses and provides a list of possible causes along with next steps. Ada has been integrated into public health systems in Europe and is often used as a digital front door for primary care triage. https://ada.com/
K Health: K Health leverages a massive dataset of anonymized medical records to match a user's symptoms with similar past cases. It simulates a diagnostic conversation, providing likely causes and follow-up advice. Its strength lies in combining AI triage with direct access to licensed physicians, making it a full-loop platform for U.S.-based users. https://khealth.com/
Amazon Clinic / One Medical: While still reliant on human clinicians for medical advice, Amazon Clinic employs chat-based intake tools to collect patient symptoms efficiently. This allows for quicker routing to the appropriate licensed provider. Amazon's use of AI to streamline admin and symptom gathering shows how early chatbot models are being embedded into broader telehealth ecosystems. https://www.amazon.in/clinic/b?ie=UTF8&node=61619774031
Alibaba Health, JD Health, and WeDoctor by Tencent: These major Chinese platforms deploy chatbots and AI-driven interfaces to provide symptom checks and recommend care pathways. Their services are particularly impactful in areas with limited access to physicians, allowing millions to receive basic guidance and health advice quickly. These platforms have also integrated medication delivery, appointment booking, and follow-up care into the same ecosystem. Alibaba Health, JD Health, WeDoctor

Stage 2: Proactive

AI Health Coaches

These systems move beyond responding to questions by offering some form of continuous, personalized guidance. Designed to interpret user data, these AI health coaches provide habit suggestions, track progress, and deliver ongoing wellness support before illness arises.

Apple (Project Mulberry): Apple’s upcoming AI health coach will (supposedly) tap into data from iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods, and other sensors to offer real-time, personalized wellness advice. Tim Cook has emphasized that Apple’s most significant impact will be in health. Project Mulberry represents the company's shift from passive health tracking to active prevention and behavior change, including features like habit nudges, educational video content, and potentially even AI-led coaching personalities.
Google (Fitbit and Gemini-based coaching): Google is building a personal health assistant powered by Gemini AI and the Fitbit ecosystem. The assistant offers personalised coaching and predictive health insights by analyzing sleep, activity, and stress data. Google's work lays the foundation for AI to act as a continuous wellness companion. Fitbit + Gemini
Oura Ring (AI Advisor): In 2025, Oura launched its AI-powered Advisor, a proactive intelligence layer designed to transform ambient health monitoring into actionable wellness support. By analyzing vital signs like heart rate, temperature, and sleep patterns, the Advisor offers timely and personal insights to improve health outcomes. CEO Tom Hale declared Oura a “healthcare company,” highlighting its ambitions to go beyond tracking to actively enhancing well-being. Oura positions itself alongside Apple in leading the charge toward data-driven prevention. Oura Advisor
Amazon Alexa+: With its generative AI upgrade, Alexa is becoming more context-aware and conversational. As it integrates with health platforms and wearable data, Alexa is evolving into a hands-free, always-available wellness companion. Alexa+
Baidu Smart Body Family: Baidu’s Smart Body Family suite, launched in 2024, combines a comprehensive range of AI-driven health services under one platform. These include an AI-powered symptom checker, medication assistant, sleep coach, medical report interpreter, and even a skin condition analyzer. Users can access guidance across their health journey through its open API ecosystem and multimodal interface—text, voice, and image. The system integrates with primary care clinics and hospitals, and its AI Clinical Decision Support System is deployed in thousands of institutions across China. By linking consumer-facing tools with clinical-grade support, Baidu is helping millions manage wellness proactively and accessibly. Baidu Smart Body Family
Panasonic Well (Umi Family Health Coach): Launched at CES 2025, Panasonic’s Umi is an AI-powered health coach designed for modern families. Built on Anthropic’s Claude model, Umi delivers personalized health plans based on collective family data and promotes joyful behavior change through partnerships with Calm, BlueApron, and others. Umi

Stage 3: Interactive

Virtual Care/Doctors

This stage merges proactive coaching and reactive responsiveness with robust medical reasoning. These AI systems go beyond support—they initiate, respond, and reason like clinical partners. Some of these examples are closely linked to actual medical practices and still require the presence of actual physicians. The solutions mentioned here are the ones moving rapidly into the field of Virtual AI Doctors.

Ping An Good Doctor (Xin Yi AI Assistant): Likely the most advanced virtual doctor system globally, Ping An’s platform delivers 24/7 consultations via chat, voice, and digital avatars of actual key opinion leaders across multiple specialties. The AI can interpret labs and imaging, support diagnosis, and recommend treatment plans. It’s embedded in kiosks, clinics, and homes and designed to seamlessly escalate cases to human doctors. Xin Yi
Dr PAI (Personalized AI Doctor): Developed by engineers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Dr PAI is an AI-based system designed to manage high blood pressure — one of the world’s most pervasive and dangerous health conditions. By integrating wearable technology with DeepSeek’s efficient large language model, Dr PAI provides continuous monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate variability, even in low-resource environments. It collects multimodal physiological data (like photoplethysmography signals), offers personalized health guidance (diet, activity, risk alerts), and interacts with users through natural conversations. Uniquely designed to run on low-computation devices, Dr PAI is especially well-suited for deployment in rural or underserved regions. Currently in clinical trials and slated for launch later this year, it represents a decisive step toward equitable, real-time virtual care delivery at scale. Deepseek
Curai Health: Curai offers a unique hybrid model of virtual primary care that integrates AI-driven triage with human clinical oversight. Users engage with an AI assistant that collects symptoms, medical history, and context, creating a detailed intake for human clinicians to review. The system provides asynchronous communication with licensed providers, allowing for efficient and scalable care delivery. Curai's AI also supports proactive follow-ups, enabling longitudinal care across chronic conditions, preventive health, and routine check-ins—all through a chat-first interface that prioritizes accessibility. Curai Health
K Health (advanced features): K Health is expanding beyond initial triage into a more dynamic model of AI-assisted chronic care. Users receive automated check-ins and tailored insights based on evolving symptoms and health goals. The AI adjusts its recommendations over time, creating continuity in care, especially for conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and anxiety. Combined with on-demand access to human physicians and prescription services, K Health is building an ecosystem where intelligent automation and human expertise work in tandem to manage ongoing health more interactively.

Some other examples are closely linked to actual medical practises and still require the presence of actual physicians or are virtual doctors within the medical workflows (less to be used stand-alone by patients). The solutions mentioned here are the ones moving rapidly into the field of Virtual AI Doctors in a medical setting.

Google Med-Gemini and Med-PaLM 2: Google’s next-gen medical LLMs demonstrate expert-level reasoning in clinical contexts, from summarizing EHRs to answering nuanced physician queries. As these models evolve, they will bridge Google’s wellness coach and medical advisor layers.
Microsoft (Nuance DAX and Epic Integration): Microsoft enables real-time clinical documentation and provider communication through its GPT-powered tools. These systems augment physicians now but pave the way for future virtual doctors who operate safely within clinical workflows.

Where Are We Heading?

Virtual AI doctors are quickly evolving toward fully hybrid systems that integrate proactive coaching, reactive care, and continuous interaction. The most forward-looking platforms are working toward becoming:

Reactive: Responding immediately to user queries and urgent needs
Proactive: Continuously monitoring health signals and offering anticipatory insights
Interactive: Adapting dynamically over time, fostering relationships across health journeys

Looking ahead, companies like Apple, Oura, and Google must prove their AI can do more than track and advise—they must demonstrate they can prevent users from becoming patients. This transition from wellness companion to clinical expert will define the next era of virtual healthcare.

Some platforms—like Ping An and Curai—are already approaching full-spectrum capability. Others are preparing for significant leaps, combining rich user data, deep contextual AI, and responsible clinical integration. As they evolve, virtual AI doctors will shift from tools of convenience to trusted lifelong health companions.

To get there, several trends will define the near-term evolution:

Multimodal capabilities: Synthesizing voice, text, image, and biometric data
Regulatory clarity: Unlocking use cases for AI as a clinical decision-making aid
Wearable + smart home integration: Turning passive data into real-time action
Localized personalization: Addressing mental health, chronic conditions, and cultural differences

Unusual Suspects

Beyond personal objects like phones, watches, rings, and glasses, location-based health interfaces will likely become key players in this space as well. Our homes are poised to become central hubs for managing health—integrating ambient monitoring with intelligent, context-aware support. But other personal environments like vehicles are also stepping up.

For example, BeyonCa is developing smart electric vehicles embedded with medical-grade sensors and AI systems to track vital signs and offer real-time health assessments while on the road. Similarly, Hyundai’s Healthcare Cockpit aims to monitor physical and mental health indicators, supporting stress relief and alertness during daily commutes. These innovations show how health management is extending beyond wearables into the new environments where people spend much of their time.

Even more ambitious is the vision unfolding in NEOM’s The Line, which aims to provide every citizen with a personal digital twin—a constantly updated, AI-powered replica of one’s health and behavior profile. This digital twin would work alongside a virtual doctor to proactively guide individuals toward healthier choices and faster interventions. The Line’s integrated city infrastructure is designed to enable this on a mass scale, embedding predictive health into everyday urban living.

Perhaps Digital twins could very well become our most powerful virtual AI doctors. They would combine everything from environmental context and lifestyle habits to continuous biological signals and social dynamics—offering hyper-personalized, always-evolving health guidance.

But that… will be for another newsletter.

PS. If you like this content, perhaps you might also like the Healthusiasm Podcast. Many of these examples were already discussed months ago during our show.

Ciao

-Christophe-

Health Business Expert

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𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗮𝘀𝗺 (°2018) is the label under which Christophe Jauquet explores and explains how 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛 shapes the future of our world and every industry in it.

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