Google has confirmed the discontinuation of a search feature that used artificial intelligence to compile health recommendations from ordinary people sharing advice online. Known as “What People Suggest,” the tool presented themed community insights in response to health-related queries. Three individuals familiar with the matter confirmed it is no longer active on the platform.
The feature was introduced at Google’s “The Check Up” health event in New York, framed as a way to bring human empathy into health search. Then-chief health officer Karen DeSalvo explained the feature would allow users to discover firsthand accounts from people managing similar health conditions, enriching the information available beyond clinical sources. The AI-organized content came with links directing users to original posts.
The company insisted that safety played no part in its removal, describing it as a streamlining measure. However, questions about the legitimacy of this account persist, particularly after Google was unable to point to a clear public statement about the change. The blog post cited as a disclosure contained no mention of “What People Suggest” being discontinued.
The removal happens alongside sustained criticism of Google’s AI Overviews, which an investigation found to be distributing medically inaccurate summaries to billions of users. Google responded to that investigation by removing AI Overviews from some health searches, but broader concerns about AI-generated health content on its platform remain live issues.
Upcoming health events organized by Google will offer the company another platform to promote its AI health ambitions. But critics argue that meaningful change requires more than new product announcements. The abrupt and poorly communicated removal of “What People Suggest” will remain a reference point in discussions about how responsibly Google handles AI tools in sensitive domains like healthcare.
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