Sam Altman and Arianna Huffington Join Forces to Launch AI Health Coach App

OpenAI's Startup Fund, in collaboration with Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global, is proud to introduce Thrive AI Health—a groundbreaking company dedicated to creating an AI-powered health coaching platform. This innovative initiative harnesses the power of OpenAI's generative AI technologies to deliver customized coaching focused on nutrition, sleep, and stress management. By doing so, Thrive AI Health seeks to empower users to enhance their overall well-being and effectively tackle chronic diseases.

The funding for Thrive AI Health is being spearheaded by OpenAI’s Startup Fund and Thrive Global, with strategic support from the foundation of Walmart heiress Alice Walton. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, plays a pivotal role in this venture, merging his passion for AI with personal health consciousness. Known for his commitment to a healthy lifestyle, including a vegetarian diet and regular exercise, Altman has publicly shared his fasting regimen of 15 hours a day. His recent investment of $180 million in California-based anti-aging company Retro Biosciences underscores his dedication to health innovation.

Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post, launched Thrive Global in 2016 to leverage technology—especially AI—to assist individuals in changing their habits and fostering healthier behaviors. Leading Thrive AI Health is DeCarlos Love, who previously oversaw AI algorithms, sensors, and health and fitness applications at Google, specifically for products like Fitbit and Pixel Watch.

“Thrive AI Health Coach addresses the limitations of existing AI and large language model (LLM) solutions by offering proactive, personalized, and data-driven support across five essential daily behaviors,” Love remarked. “With this approach, we aim to improve health outcomes, lower healthcare costs, and make a significant impact on chronic diseases around the globe.”

The ambitious vision of the AI Health Coach is to combat chronic conditions including heart disease, lung cancer, and diabetes—ailments frequently linked to unhealthy lifestyle choices. By providing tailored suggestions on diet and sleep improvement, the coach helps users proactively manage their health. Users can engage with the Health Coach through a user-friendly mobile app or by collaborating with healthcare providers utilizing Thrive Global’s enterprise solutions.

The app is designed to generate personalized coaching plans for each individual, offering constructive prompts and recommendations to support users in sticking to their health goals. Training for the AI coach will incorporate peer-reviewed scientific research, relevant biometric and medical information, along with users’ unique preferences and objectives.

To elevate its mission, Thrive AI Health has already established research collaborations with prestigious academic institutions and renowned medical centers, such as Stanford Medicine and the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute at West Virginia University, aiming to bring the AI Health Coach to patients and staff alike. This integration of advanced technology with health expertise marks a significant step toward revolutionizing personalized healthcare and addressing the pressing challenges of chronic illness on a global scale.