Lotus Health AI Raises $35 Million for Free AI Doctor

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Free AI Primary Care Doctor Raises $35 Million

  • Lotus Health AI raises $35 million in Series A from CRV and Kleiner Perkins
  • Offers free 24/7 primary care service in 50 languages across all 50 US states
  • In an era where 230 million people ask ChatGPT health questions weekly, serious competition in the AI healthcare market begins

What Happened?

Lotus Health AI raised $35 million in a Series A round co-led by CRV and Kleiner Perkins.[TechCrunch] This startup uses Large Language Models (LLMs) to provide free 24/7 primary care services in 50 languages.

Founder KJ Dhaliwal sold South Asian dating app Dil Mil for $50 million in 2019.[Crunchbase] He was inspired by his childhood experience translating medical information for his parents. Lotus Health AI launched in May 2024 to address inefficiencies in the US healthcare system.

Why Is It Important?

Honestly, this investment amount is notable. The average funding for AI healthcare startups is $34.4 million, and Lotus Health AI reached this level at Series A.[Crunchbase]

The context makes it understandable. According to OpenAI, 230 million people ask ChatGPT health-related questions every week.[TechCrunch] This means people are already getting health advice from AI. But ChatGPT cannot provide medical services. Lotus Health AI targets this gap market.

Personally, the “free” model is most interesting. Considering how expensive US healthcare is, free primary care is a quite disruptive value proposition. Of course, the revenue model is still unclear.

What Will Happen in the Future?

Competition in the AI healthcare market is expected to intensify. OpenAI also entered this market in January with the launch of ChatGPT Health. It integrates with Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, and others to provide personalized health advice.[OpenAI]

Regulatory risks remain. Even OpenAI states in its terms of service “do not use for diagnosis or treatment purposes.” Several lawsuits regarding harm from AI medical advice are already underway. We need to watch how Lotus Health AI manages this risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Lotus Health AI really free?

A: It is free for patients. However, the specific revenue model has not been disclosed. There are various possibilities including B2B models targeting insurance companies or employers, or premium service additions. Since they provide service across all 50 US states, they appear to be pursuing economies of scale.

Q: How is it different from general AI chatbots?

A: Lotus Health AI is a medical service specialized in primary care. Unlike general chatbots, it holds medical service licenses in all 50 US states. The key difference is that it can perform actual medical acts, not just provide health information.

Q: Does it support Korean?

A: It was announced to support 50 languages, but the specific language list has not been disclosed. Korean support needs to be confirmed. Currently, the service is only available in the US, and overseas expansion plans have not been announced.

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References

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