Alphabet tested AI chatbot with 98 patients in care study
Alphabet reported that its research chatbot AMIE matched doctors' final diagnoses 90% of the time in a small clinical study. Supervising physicians monitored all conversations in real time and none needed to be interrupted for safety reasons.
What happened
The study led by researchers at Google and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) was published in The Lancet. According to the company, this research was Google's first-ever publication in the main journal of The Lancet. In the study, 98 patients consulted AMIE, our research diagnostic AI chatbot, ahead of urgent care visits in a real-world clinical study at BIDMC's ambulatory primary care clinic.
Supervising physicians monitored the interactions in real time, and not a single conversation needed to be interrupted based on predefined safety criteria. Clinicians reported that the AI summaries helped them prepare for visits in 75% of cases. AMIE's differential diagnoses, the lists of possible conditions, also matched the doctors' final diagnoses 90% of the time.
For readers, the design mattered because real visits, direct supervision, and written summaries kept the test close to normal care. That setup explained why preparation help and diagnostic agreement could be read together, rather than as separate claims.
Summaries helped doctors prepare while safety monitoring held
The study in The Lancet suggested AI could improve patient-physician relationships. While larger clinical trials were needed to assess patient-facing AI at scale, the findings suggested potential for AI to enhance the patient-physician relationship. Clinicians reported that the AI summaries helped them prepare for visits in 75% of cases.
For the company, the result mattered because help with preparation and agreement with final diagnoses pointed to practical use during visits. For private investors, the value lay in visible cooperation with doctors under supervision, rather than in standalone use. That link to the daily work of physicians explained why the relationship between patient and doctor stayed central.
Google also ran Play offers and explained safer logins
Google Play hosted Play Fest from October 13–19, featuring sweepstakes, competitive gaming leagues, and major discounts on apps, games, and books. From October 13–19, visitors could exchange points for sweepstakes entries, climb global leaderboards, and unlock major savings across Google Play.
