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Amazon Expands Health AI Access To Website And Mobile App

Amazon Broadens Health AI Availability

Amazon has expanded access to its Health AI assistant, making the service available through its website and mobile app. The tool was previously offered only through the One Medical app, a healthcare platform Amazon acquired for $3.9 billion in 2023.

Personalized Assistance With Robust Capabilities

Health AI is designed to answer health-related questions, explain medical records, assist with prescription renewals and schedule medical appointments. Access to the assistant does not require an Amazon Prime subscription or a One Medical membership. The service is available to users through Amazon’s broader health platform.

Enhanced Personalization Through Safe Data Practices

Health AI can provide general health information without access to personal medical records. When users allow the system to connect with medical data through the Health Information Exchange, the assistant can generate more personalized responses. According to Amazon, the system analyzes anonymized interaction patterns to improve responses while removing personally identifiable information.

Strict Compliance And Data Security

Amazon states that Health AI operates within a framework compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Interactions are protected through encryption and access controls designed to safeguard medical data. The company has not provided detailed technical information about its security architecture.

Seamless Integration With Professional Healthcare

The assistant can interpret certain medical information, including lab results, diagnoses and other records, and provide explanations to users. When professional care is required, Health AI can connect patients with providers through One Medical. U.S. Prime members receive up to five direct message consultations per year for common conditions such as colds or allergies, while non-Prime users can access consultations through a pay-per-visit option.

Easy Enrollment And Immediate Access

Users can access the service through the Amazon Health page. After creating or signing in to an Amazon Health profile, they can start conversations with Health AI through Amazon.com or the Amazon mobile app.

Competitive Trends In Healthcare AI

Amazon’s expansion of Health AI comes as several technology companies introduce artificial intelligence tools in healthcare. Earlier this year, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Health, designed to answer medical questions. Anthropic later launched Claude for Healthcare, expanding competition among AI-based health services.

A New Era Of AI-Enabled Healthcare

Amazon’s strategic move to expand Health AI signals a broader industry trend toward integrating advanced artificial intelligence into everyday healthcare services. With the promise of personalized assistance backed by robust data security and compliance measures, Health AI represents a significant step forward in how technology can enhance the accessibility and quality of healthcare.

Passkeys Are The Gold Standard For Account Security. So Why Don’t More Major Apps Offer Them?

Passkeys are increasingly being promoted as one of the most effective ways to protect online accounts. By reducing reliance on passwords, they help prevent phishing attacks, simplify sign-ins and strengthen account security. Despite those advantages, however, many major digital platforms have yet to adopt the technology.

A Security Upgrade Still Missing At Scale

That gap is the focus of whynopasskeys.com, a new site created by security researcher Scott Helme to highlight companies that have not yet enabled passkeys for their users. The site tracks major consumer brands that continue to rely on older login methods even as passkeys become the industry standard.

Among the services still without passkey support are Instagram, Netflix and Spotify, according to the site’s data.

Why Passkeys Matter

Unlike traditional passwords, passkeys are generated on a user’s device and linked both to that device and to a specific website or application. Authentication can be completed through biometrics such as Face ID or Touch ID, a hardware security key or a password manager.

Because users do not need to create or remember passwords, opportunities for credential theft, phishing attacks and password reuse are significantly reduced. In most cases, gaining access to an account would require direct access to the user’s device.

Public Accountability As A Pressure Tactic

In a blog post explaining the project, Helme said the goal is to create pressure by making the absence of passkey support visible. “A list is a surprisingly effective motivator. Nobody wants to be on the list,” he wrote.

That approach has already worked elsewhere in cybersecurity: when businesses are publicly compared against peers on basic protections, they often move faster to close the gap. In this case, the list is intended to push platforms to give users a stronger and simpler login option.

The Companies Moving Faster

Many large technology companies have already adopted passkeys, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, reflecting the technology’s growing role in account security.

Implementation, however, remains uneven. Instagram users can currently access passkeys only when their account is linked to a Facebook account that already has passkey support enabled, highlighting differences in adoption even within the same company.

The Bigger Business Question

Meta has not publicly explained why passkeys are available on some of its platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, but not fully across Instagram.

Debate within the industry is no longer centred on whether passkeys work, but on how quickly companies are willing to deploy them. As phishing, credential theft and account fraud remain persistent cybersecurity challenges, passkeys are increasingly being viewed not as an optional feature but as an emerging security standard.

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