OpenAI Acquires Health-Care Technology Startup Torch for $60 Million
January 12, 2026 — OpenAI has expanded its footprint in the health-care technology sector with the acquisition of Torch, a startup focused on developing innovative AI solutions for medical data management.
OpenAI announced on Monday that it has acquired Torch, a health-care technology company geared towards creating a "unified medical memory" system for artificial intelligence applications. According to sources familiar with the deal, who requested anonymity due to confidentiality agreements, the purchase price was approximately $60 million.
Torch’s platform addresses one of the significant challenges in health care today: the fragmentation of patient data. Typically, medical information is stored across various vendors and in multiple formats, making it hard to gather a comprehensive health record. Torch aimed to consolidate these disparate data sources into a single, cohesive system accessible to AI, potentially improving the efficiency and accuracy of patient care through advanced data analytics and personalized medical insights.
As part of the acquisition, Torch’s employees will join the OpenAI team. Torch CEO Ilya Abyzov expressed enthusiasm about the transition, highlighting the opportunity to leverage OpenAI’s broad user base. “I can’t imagine a better next chapter than to now get to put our technology and ideas in the hands of the hundreds of millions of people who already use ChatGPT for health questions every week,” Abyzov shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
This acquisition follows closely on the heels of OpenAI’s recent launch of ChatGPT Health, a new experience that enables users to connect their medical records and wellness apps directly to the AI chatbot, further bridging the gap between AI and practical health applications. The company also rolled out several enterprise-grade products tailored for health-care providers, partnering with large health systems, including HCA Healthcare.
In recent months, OpenAI has signaled a strategic intent to deepen its involvement in health-care AI, bolstered by its December hire of Google veteran Albert Lee to lead corporate development. This move is indicative of the company’s ongoing effort to identify and acquire technology assets that will give it a competitive edge against rivals such as Google and Anthropic.
OpenAI’s acquisition spree in 2025 was notable, highlighted by the high-profile purchase of Jony Ive’s AI devices startup, io, in May for over $6 billion. The Torch acquisition further cements OpenAI’s commitment to integrating cutting-edge AI innovations into sectors like health care, underscoring the growing importance of AI-driven solutions in medicine.
Ilya Abyzov’s prior experience includes co-founding Forward, a direct-to-consumer primary care company known for its tech-enabled patient visits conducted via CarePods before it unexpectedly ceased operations in 2024. As OpenAI continues to develop technologies that enhance access to and the utility of medical data, the Torch acquisition represents a significant step toward building more comprehensive and intelligent health-care AI tools designed to improve patient outcomes.
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