From summarising an medical report to planning a vacation itinerary — Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots, including ChatGPT, have all but revolutionised our everyday living. But can AI tools contribute to improving your wellbeing and helping you to resolve your pressing health concerns? A social media post by a mother identified as Courtney about her four-year-old’s chronic health concerns, which went viral last year, suggests that the possibilities of AI are far more comprehensive and nuanced than what most users may have known. In her post, Courtney wrote about being frustrated when numerous trips to multiple medical professionals (a total of 17) yielded no concrete diagnosis; her child Alex suffered from severe toothaches, stunted growth and unusual behaviours such as chewing on objects. Her search for answers led Courtney to create an account on ChatGPT, where she listed out her son’s symptoms and received a diagnosis of tethered cord syndrome, an uncommon neurological condition that a neurologist would later confirm. 

Anecdotes such as these suggest that there’s a lot more to AI than initially meets the eye, especially in the areas of health and wellness. But how reliable are these AI tools and can they really prove to be a gamechanger in keeping you healthier and fitter in 2025?