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Reddit Post Reignites Debate Over AI’s Role in Medical Advice

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A viral post on Reddit is reigniting debate around the role of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in medical advice after a user claimed that ChatGPT helped diagnose a condition that had eluded doctors for over a decade.

According to the post, which was shared recently on X by OpenAI President Greg Brockman, the user experienced unexplained symptoms for more than 10 years, undergoing spinal MRIs, CT scans, blood tests, and even checks for Lyme disease — all to no avail.

After entering lab results and symptom history into ChatGPT, the AI flagged a potential connection to the A1298C mutation in the MTHFR gene. A physician later confirmed the diagnosis and the B12 supplement treatment later “largely resolved” the symptoms.

The doctor was “super shocked” to find out ChatGPT correctly diagnosed the symptoms. “Not sure how they didn’t think to test me for MTHFR mutation,” the post said.

About 1 in 6 adults ask AI chatbots for health information and advice at least once a month, according to the KFF Health Misinformation Tracking Poll. When it comes to adults aged 18 to 29, the percentage rises to 25%. The next largest age group are those from 30 to 49, at 19%. The 50 to 64 age group comes in at 15% and over 65 at 10%.

However, when it comes to trusting that information, 56% of those who use AI are not confident about its accuracy. Among ethnic and age groups, those under age 50 — as well as Black and Hispanic adults — tend to trust the data more than older white respondents.

Kim Rippy, practice owner and licensed counselor at Keystone Therapy Group, told PYMNTS that clients have used ChatGPT or AI for “substitute therapy,” which is “both helpful and dangerous at the same time.”

For those with ADHD, ChatGPT can help them summarize or organize their thoughts. “You can ‘thought dump’ into the system and the AI program can return your thoughts to you in a clear, succinct format. This can help you better understand your own thoughts and potentially improve your ability to communicate.”

Read more: Can AI-Powered Smart Glasses Help Spot Medication Errors?

AI Chatbots Can Miss Nuances

But the dangers are that ChatGPT can never fully understand the patient’s experience and “can’t pick up on nuances of language, behaviors, nonverbals, tone, syntax and emotion that a human therapist can,” Rippy said.

“ChatGPT can’t challenge unhealthy cognitions, or even pick up on when those may be occurring for someone. ChatGPT can’t gauge when someone is at-risk and may push someone past their ability to safely regulate themselves. … [It] also doesn’t hold people accountable.”

In the end, AI chatbots should be “recognized as a coping tool for organizing thoughts, just as journaling or meditation can,” Rippy said.

An AI and mental health survey by Iris Telehealth shared with PYMNTS showed that 65% of patients feel comfortable using AI assessment tools and AI chatbots before speaking with a human provider. But 70% worry about the privacy and security of their data and 55% question the accuracy of the chatbot’s assessments of their condition.

Dr. Angela Downey, a family physician, told PYMNTS that AI can be helpful in guiding people toward possible diagnoses, especially if they’ve felt “dismissed or overlooked” in the past. These chatbots work around the clock and process a lot of information quickly.

“But there are limits,” Downey said. “AI can’t examine you or pick up on subtle cues, and it can delay proper care if taken as a substitute for medical advice. It can offer a list of possibilities, but you still need a trained clinician to put the full picture together.”

But for Gil Spencer, CTO of WitnessAI, it was a lifesaver.

He told PYMNTS that he had injured his knee skiing and MRI scans from radiologists were inconclusive. So he turned to ChatGPT, using a multimodal prompt workflow he created and uploaded his MRI scans. The AI correctly diagnosed a major meniscus tear and confirmed his ACL was intact. His surgeon later validated the AI’s diagnosis.

Read more: Ant Group Unveils AI-Powered Healthcare Smartphone App

Read more: Samsung Health Hub Aims to Simplify Doctor-Patient Communication

Read more: AI Medical Note-Taking Apps Enjoy Healthy Wave of Investment

 



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How Can the Synergy Between Social Media and Artificial Intelligence Redefine and Personalize the Entire Journey of Travel Discovery, Inspiration, and Planning to Iconic Destinations Like Barcelona and Emerging Ones Around the World?

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Friday, July 11, 2025

Reimagining the Future of Travel Discovery

At Phocuswright Europe 2025, held in the vibrant city of Barcelona, industry professionals came together to explore how new technologies are reshaping the ways people discover and plan their travels. A central theme of the event was the growing intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and social media—two powerful tools that have traditionally influenced travel separately but now appear poised to work in unison to create more personalized and intuitive travel experiences.

Experts at the event noted that while social media has long played a role in sparking wanderlust through engaging images and videos, AI is beginning to play a bigger role during the inspiration phase of trip planning. This shift opens up new possibilities for how travelers choose destinations and organize their journeys.

Current State: Two Separate Worlds

At the moment, most travelers follow two distinct paths when planning their trips:

  • Social media offers an emotional and visually immersive way to discover destinations like Barcelona, often through the lenses of influencers, locals, and other content creators. These platforms provide a human touch, evoking excitement and curiosity.
  • Meanwhile, AI tools—such as digital assistants—focus on structured information. They help travelers make decisions by offering guidance based on preferences and facts, often driven by search inputs or data.

These two methods serve different purposes and rarely overlap. A traveler might get inspired by a reel on social media, then switch to an AI chatbot for help with flight and hotel bookings. But there’s little interaction between the two—at least for now.

Merging Inspiration with Intelligence

Speakers at the event proposed a future where AI and social media become tightly integrated, offering a much more fluid experience for travelers. In this vision, AI wouldn’t just answer questions—it would understand the user, learning from their digital activity, such as saved Instagram posts or engagement with travel videos.

For example, if someone had a particularly stressful week and had been saving photos of peaceful mountain retreats, the AI could recommend a getaway to the serene landscapes of Albania, aligning the suggestion with the person’s emotional state and recent interests.

This approach would effectively combine the emotional appeal of social media with the data-driven precision of AI, turning passive inspiration into real, bookable journeys tailored to individual preferences.

How This Could Change Global Travel

Should this integration take hold, it could transform the travel landscape in profound ways:

  • Hyper-personalized itineraries would replace one-size-fits-all suggestions, allowing travelers to discover destinations that resonate on a personal level.
  • Content shared on social platforms could lead directly to instant bookings, simplifying the journey from interest to action.
  • Content creators from across the globe—especially those in less-touristed regions—could become key drivers of tourism, elevating locations that haven’t yet made it onto mainstream travel radars.

Destinations like Albania, for example, could see a surge in visibility and interest, thanks to AI systems recognizing trends in user behavior and highlighting underappreciated locales.

Recognizing the Role of Creators

Despite the exciting potential, the panel also raised important concerns—particularly around how content creators would be treated in this new travel ecosystem.

A major issue is fair compensation. Many creators provide the imagery and storytelling that ignite travel dreams, but if their content is repurposed by AI systems without proper credit or reward, it could undermine the entire value chain.

Panelists agreed that any meaningful integration of AI and social media must include ethical frameworks that protect and pay creators fairly. Their work is not just decorative; it’s foundational to modern travel discovery.

Emerging Innovations: Where the Future Begins

Some tech platforms are already exploring what this fusion of AI and social might look like:

  • Image-driven itinerary generators are being tested, using a traveler’s saved Instagram photos as input for personalized trip suggestions.
  • New tools enable “bookable moments,” where viewers can act directly on a travel video or reel, moving from inspiration to action in just a few clicks.

These innovations remain in early stages but show significant promise. They demonstrate that real-time, emotionally intelligent travel planning could soon become a mainstream reality.

What’s Next: Data, Visibility, and Brand Strategy

The conversation also touched on broader implications of this tech evolution:

  • Destination discoverability will improve as first-party data allows platforms to promote hidden gems and lesser-known places like Albania more effectively.
  • With video content dominating attention, systems that allow real-time video booking could reduce friction between interest and planning.
  • In a world where AI curates content based on user behavior, brands will need to evolve. Ensuring visibility in a highly personalized digital space requires more adaptive strategies and smarter use of data.

Key Lessons from the Event

  • AI and social media currently operate in silos, but integration is rapidly approaching.
  • Creators must be compensated if their content powers this new planning model.
  • AI’s ability to deliver emotionally relevant and data-informed suggestions could revolutionize the travel booking experience.
  • Underrated destinations, like Albania, have a unique opportunity to rise through smarter content pairing and AI insight.

Looking Ahead: Keeping It Human

While the technology is evolving quickly, panelists emphasized that human connection must remain at the center. The goal is not just smarter travel, but more meaningful travel—experiences that feel designed for the individual, guided by both their digital behavior and emotional cues.

As AI becomes more nuanced and socially aware, and as platforms begin to tap deeper into how people express their interests and desires online, we may enter an era of travel planning that’s truly personal. But to get there, the industry must uphold principles of fairness, transparency, and creativity.

This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about rethinking the entire emotional journey of travel, from a fleeting post on a screen to a transformative moment on the road.



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Chip Firms in Malaysia Pause Investment Plans on Tariff Angst

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Chip firms in Malaysia are holding back on investment and expansion as they await clarity on tariffs from the US, according to Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association President Wong Siew Hai.



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Witcher Game Maker Among Europe’s Priciest Stocks as Hype Grows

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Optimism over a distant video-game launch has turned a Polish studio developing the title into one of Europe’s most richly valued companies, topping even hot sectors such as defense and electrification by one measure.



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