An AI-powered feature from Google that presented health advice from anonymous online users has been taken offline, the company confirmed. The feature, “What People Suggest,” collected and organized community health perspectives from internet forums using AI and displayed them to users conducting health searches. Three individuals with knowledge of the decision confirmed its removal before Google acknowledged it.
The tool was unveiled at Google’s “The Check Up” health event in New York and was positioned as a valuable addition to health search. Karen DeSalvo, then serving as Google’s chief health officer, explained that the feature acknowledged users’ desire for human-centered health perspectives. The AI-organized content was initially made available to mobile users in the United States.
Google said the removal was part of a simplification of the search results layout and denied safety or quality concerns played a role. When pushed for proof of public communication about the change, the company pointed to a blog post that contained no reference to “What People Suggest.” One insider described the feature as simply “dead.”
The removal occurs in a broader context of criticism over Google’s AI health content. Earlier this year, an investigation revealed that Google’s AI Overviews contained dangerously inaccurate health information displayed to two billion users monthly. Google partially addressed this by removing AI Overviews from some health queries, though health experts have called for more substantial reform.
Google’s next health event is expected to feature announcements about new AI-driven healthcare initiatives. For these to land credibly, Google will need to demonstrate a consistent and transparent approach to managing health AI products — one that does not involve quietly removing features and citing unrelated blog posts as public disclosure. The stakes in health AI are simply too high for anything less.