Google has removed a search feature that used AI to present community-sourced health advice, and the company’s explanation for the removal has come under scrutiny. “What People Suggest” gathered health perspectives from online discussions and organized them using AI for health searchers. Three sources confirmed the removal before Google addressed the issue publicly.
The feature was introduced at Google’s “The Check Up” health conference in New York by then-chief health officer Karen DeSalvo, who wrote that the tool would help users find relatable health experiences from peers. The AI system curated online community content into themed health summaries and provided users with links to the original discussions. Its initial launch was for mobile users in the US.
In confirming the removal, Google cited search page simplification and explicitly denied safety concerns were involved. But the company’s cited public announcement — a blog post from a Google employee in Switzerland — contained no reference to the discontinued feature. Critics have called the explanation inadequate and pointed to the inconsistency as evidence of poor transparency.
The context includes a major investigation earlier this year that found Google’s AI Overviews were delivering false health information to approximately two billion monthly users. Although some medical AI Overviews were removed following the investigation, health experts called for more comprehensive reform.
With another health event on the calendar, Google will have an opportunity to address these concerns. But the credibility of its health AI vision will depend on whether it can demonstrate genuine improvement in transparency and accountability, rather than simply launching new products while quietly burying failed ones. “What People Suggest” remains an open chapter in that story.
