In a social media announcement, OpenAI stated that Torch integrates lab results, medications, and visit recordings, and that the fusion of the startup’s technology with ChatGPT Health will offer new avenues for users to understand and manage their health.
CNBC reported that OpenAI bought Torch for approximately $60 million.
As part of the acquisition, Torch’s team, including Ilya Abyzov, Eugene Huang, James Hamlin, and Ryan Oman, has joined OpenAI, according to the company.
Also read | OpenAI unveils ChatGPT Health: What it is and how it operates
“I can’t envision a better next chapter than to now share our technology and ideas with the hundreds of millions of people who rely on ChatGPT for health inquiries each week,” said Torch CEO Ilya Abyzov in a post on X.
Established a year ago, Torch aimed to create what it termed a “medical memory for AI,” striving to unify fragmented health records into a comprehensive system that provides greater context and minimizes the risk of critical details being missed.
The Torch app enables users to integrate medical data from hospitals, laboratories, wearable devices, and consumer health testing services into a single platform.
This acquisition comes on the heels of OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT Health last week.
ChatGPT Health connects the AI chatbot to users’ medical records and wellness applications to provide more tailored responses to health-related inquiries, and the incorporation of Torch’s technology is anticipated to enhance those functionalities.
Abyzov previously co-founded another healthcare startup, Forward, a direct-to-consumer primary care service that provided patient consultations through tech-enabled “CarePods.” The company unexpectedly ceased operations in 2024.
