Apple is making a major push into artificial intelligence once again, with plans to revamp its Health app and introduce an ‘AI doctor’ service, according to a Bloomberg report.
This initiative aligns with CEO Tim Cook’s vision that healthcare will be Apple’s most significant contribution to humanity. “If you zoom out into the future and ask, ‘What was Apple’s greatest contribution to mankind?’ it will be about health,” Cook stated in 2019.
As part of “Project Mulberry,” Apple’s Health app will undergo a major transformation, incorporating an AI-powered health coach designed to replicate some of the analysis performed by real doctors. The app will gather data from various Apple devices, such as iPhones, Apple Watches, and earbuds, as well as third-party products, to provide personalized health recommendations.
Apple is currently training its AI model with data from in-house doctors and plans to bring in external medical professionals. The company is also setting up a facility near Oakland, California, where doctors can create video content for the app. Additionally, Apple is searching for a “great doctor personality” to serve as a host for the revamped Health app, potentially adding a human touch similar to how OpenAI and Google have developed chatbot voices.
The project is reportedly a high priority for Apple’s health division, led by Dr. Sumbul Desai, with Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams also playing a key role. Development is progressing rapidly, and the new Health app could debut as early as iOS 19.4. Apple is expected to announce iOS 19 at WWDC 2025 in June, with a stable release alongside the iPhone 17 in September.
While Apple has been investing heavily in AI, its rollout of AI-driven features has faced challenges. The company introduced “Apple Intelligence” with iOS 18 at WWDC 2024, but many features were delayed or released in stages. Issues such as inaccurate AI-generated news summaries have also sparked criticism, leading Apple to pull the feature from certain apps.
If all goes as planned, Apple’s AI doctor could be in action by early 2026, marking a significant step in the company’s healthcare ambitions.
