Google’s Peer-Sourced AI Health Feature Is Gone — And The Company Stayed Silent

An AI-powered Google search feature that displayed health tips gathered from regular internet users has been shut down and removed from the platform. The tool, “What People Suggest,” used artificial intelligence to group community health perspectives from online discussions into organized themes for search users. The company has confirmed its removal, though the communication surrounding the decision has been widely criticized.
Google first presented the feature at its health event in New York, promoting it as a way to help users find relatable health experiences alongside official medical guidance. Karen DeSalvo, then Google’s chief health officer, wrote that the feature reflected a deep understanding of how people actually use health search. Mobile users in the United States were the first to have access.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the feature is no longer active, attributing its removal to search simplification rather than safety. When pressed to show where the decision was publicly communicated, the company referenced a blog post that contained no mention of the feature. This has left journalists and critics alike questioning the sincerity of Google’s explanation.
The removal must be understood in the context of Google’s troubled year with health AI. An investigation documented how AI Overviews on Google Search were providing medically inaccurate content to roughly two billion users monthly. Google subsequently removed AI Overviews from some health topics, but health researchers and advocacy groups have argued that partial measures are not enough.
As Google’s next health event draws near, the challenge facing the company is substantial. It must demonstrate that its health AI products are not only innovative but also safe, accurate, and supported by honest communication. The removal of “What People Suggest” highlights what happens when those standards are not met, and reinforces why they matter.