Google Has Stopped Offering Medical Tips From Online Strangers Via AI Feature

An AI feature from Google that surfaced health advice from ordinary internet users has been quietly discontinued. Called “What People Suggest,” the tool used AI to organize community health insights from online discussions and display them in search results. Three people with inside knowledge confirmed its removal, and Google later acknowledged the decision.
The product was announced during Google’s “The Check Up” health event in New York, where it was framed by then-chief health officer Karen DeSalvo as an evolution in how people discover health information online. She wrote that users often value the experiences of peers alongside clinical guidance, and that the feature was designed to provide exactly that. The tool was initially available on mobile devices for US users.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the removal, attributing it to a simplification of the search page and ruling out safety or quality as factors. However, the blog post cited as the company’s public disclosure made no mention of “What People Suggest,” leaving critics unconvinced. One source close to the decision confirmed bluntly that the feature is “dead.”
Google’s handling of health AI has been under scrutiny since an investigation revealed that AI Overviews were distributing false health information to two billion users every month. In response, Google removed AI Overviews from some medical searches, though health advocacy groups argued the measure was insufficient.
Google plans to hold its next health event soon, where its current chief health officer will outline new AI-powered health research. For Google to be taken seriously as a responsible health AI provider, it needs to demonstrate a higher standard of transparency and accountability than the removal of “What People Suggest” exemplified. That event will be a key moment in that ongoing effort.