Google has confirmed the removal of a search feature that used artificial intelligence to collect and present health recommendations sourced from anonymous internet users. The feature, called “What People Suggest,” had been promoted as a way to surface peer-level health insights but has since disappeared from the platform. Three people knowledgeable about the matter said the feature is definitively no longer active.
Launched in March of last year during Google’s “The Check Up” event, the feature was championed by then-chief health officer Karen DeSalvo as a response to users’ desire for community-based health perspectives. The AI-driven tool would scan online forums and discussions, categorize the content into themes, and present it alongside links for deeper exploration. It was first made available to users on mobile devices in the United States.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the discontinuation, attributing it to a simplification of the search results page rather than any issues with the content’s reliability or safety. Critics were unconvinced, especially when Google cited a November blog post as its public disclosure, a post that did not reference “What People Suggest” at all. One source close to the situation described the feature bluntly, saying, “It’s dead.”
Google’s health AI tools have faced serious scrutiny in 2025. An investigation revealed that the company’s AI Overviews, displayed to two billion users monthly, contained false and misleading health information. Following that report, Google adjusted some AI Overviews related to medical queries, though the response was seen by many as inadequate and reactive.
The upcoming “The Check Up” event, where Google plans to showcase further AI health innovations, will test whether the company can rebuild its credibility in this space. Health experts and digital rights advocates are watching closely to see whether Google will acknowledge its past failures or continue to present AI health tools with uncritical optimism. The quiet removal of “What People Suggest” suggests the latter may still be the default mode.