OpenAI announced the acquisition of the small startup Torch for a sum that, according to an unnamed source at the information outlet Information, is estimated to be approximately $100 million in equity. The four-person Torch team will join OpenAI, the two companies said.
Torch developed an application that consolidates a user’s medical data from various sources – from doctor visits and lab tests to wearables and other portals, including publicly available health tests. The team described its technologies as “medical memory for AI” – a contextual engine that centralizes scattered records.
The Torch team’s meeting took place while they were working at Forward Health, as co-founder Ilya Abizov wrote in a post on X. Forward Health was known for its AI-powered physician offices. In late 2024, the company abruptly shut down after raising more than $400 million.
This acqui-hire deal essentially means a different fate for the team and their technologies: they will become part of OpenAI’s recently announced ChatGPT Health – a service that allows chatbot users to analyze and manage their health.
They expect that Torch joining OpenAI will strengthen AI capabilities in healthcare and enhance the ChatGPT Health functionality.
What this deal means for OpenAI’s future health strategies
Experts note that such a move could expand AI’s ability to consolidate medical records and provide users with more contextual health guidance, while also underscoring concerns about data protection and regulation.
