Microsoft launches Copilot Health to make sense of your medical data

We've all been there. You get test results that might as well be written in hieroglyphs. Your fitness tracker shows numbers that don't tell you much. You sit in the doctor's office and forget every question you wanted to ask.

Microsoft thinks the problem isn't that people need more health information. It's that they need help understanding what they already have. That's the idea behind Copilot Health, a new AI service that Microsoft is launching today.

Copilot Health lives in a separate, secure section of Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant. It takes your health records, wearable device data, and medical history and tries to turn them into something coherent. The goal is to help you show up to doctor appointments better prepared.

How does it work?

Copilot Health pulls together different types of health information into one place:

• Electronic health records from your doctor
• Data from fitness trackers and smartwatches
• Your medical history and symptoms
• Lab results and test data

The AI then looks for patterns and connections in this data. It might notice that your sleep problems started around the same time as other symptoms, or help you understand what your latest blood work actually means.

The service also connects to real-time directories of US healthcare providers. You can search for doctors by specialty, location, languages they speak, and whether they take your insurance.

Microsoft has trained the system using information from credible health organizations across 50 countries. The company says its clinical team verified these sources using standards from the National Academy of Medicine. Responses include citations and links to source material, plus expert-written cards from Harvard Health.

Why does it matter?

Microsoft already handles over 50 million health-related questions daily through its consumer products. People are clearly turning to AI for health information, especially when facing long wait times and doctor shortages.

But generic health advice only goes so far. Copilot Health aims to provide personalized insights based on your specific health data and history. The idea is that this leads to better conversations with your actual doctor, not replacing them entirely.

Microsoft is working on what it calls "medical superintelligence" - AI that combines the broad knowledge of a general doctor with specialist expertise. The company's AI Diagnostic Orchestrator has already shown promising results in research settings, though details about broader applications are still coming.

The context

Health data is sensitive, and Microsoft knows it. Copilot Health conversations and data are kept separate from regular Copilot. The company says it uses:

• Encryption for data at rest and in transit
• Strict access controls
• The ability to delete your information anytime
• Instant disconnection from health data sources
• No use of your data for AI model training

Microsoft developed Copilot Health with its internal clinical team and an external panel of over 230 doctors from more than 24 countries. The service has earned ISO/IEC 42001 certification, the first international standard for AI management systems.

The company is also working with organizations like AARP and the National Health Council to make sure the service works for different types of users.

Copilot Health is launching first in the United States for adults 18 and older, with English as the only language option. Microsoft is working on additional languages and voice features for future releases. The company is opening a waitlist today for early access.

One important note: Microsoft makes it clear that Copilot Health isn't meant to diagnose, treat, or prevent diseases. It's not a replacement for actual medical advice from real doctors.