OpenAI Buys Healthcare Startup Torch Days After Launching ChatGPT Health

OpenAI Buys Healthcare Startup Torch Days After Launching ChatGPT Health


OpenAI acquired the health-care technology startup Torch on Monday, days after the company unveiled ChatGPT Health, a platform designed to help patients and doctors navigate complex medical information.

The financial details of the deal were not disclosed, but CNBC reported that the Sam Altman-led firm bought the startup for roughly $60 million. Meanwhile, The Information reported that OpenAI paid $100 million worth of equity for the startup.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comment.

OpenAI Bets On Unified Medical Memory

Torch was designed to be a unified medical memory for AI, bringing every bit of data about you from hospitals, labs, wearables, and consumer testing companies into one place, the company’s CEO Ilya Abyzov said in a post on X.

“It’s a daunting responsibility. And we wouldn’t have taken it on if we didn’t think that OAI [OpenAI] cared as much as we do about privacy, safety, collaboration with physicians, and building something at an extremely high level of craft and consumer polish,” Abyzov said.

Abyzov previously co-founded another healthcare startup called Forward, which helped carry out patient visits via tech-enabled “CarePods.” But the company abruptly shut operations in 2024.

Torch’s four-person team will join OpenAI as part of the acquisition, the companies said.

OpenAI has been on a buying spree to beef up its AI capabilities, having hired Google’s Albert Lee last month to lead corporate development. The company also announced several enterprise-grade products for healthcare organizations. Some of its initial partners include large health systems like HCA Healthcare.

Image via Shutterstock

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs



Source link

Leave a Reply