In a striking example of AI’s growing influence in healthcare, a woman named Shreya has credited ChatGPT with helping save her mother’s life after doctors failed to diagnose her condition for over a year.
Sharing her emotional story on X (formerly Twitter), Shreya explained that her mother had been suffering from a persistent, unexplained cough for 1.5 years. Despite consulting renowned doctors and trying allopathy, ayurveda, and homeopathy, her condition worsened, even leading to internal bleeding. Doctors warned that if the situation continued for six more months, it could become fatal.
Out of desperation, Shreya described the symptoms to ChatGPT, which generated a list of possible causes — one of which pointed to a side effect from blood pressure medication. Shreya was shocked, as this possibility had never been raised before. When she told the doctor and mentioned the specific ingredient suggested by the chatbot, the doctor confirmed it could indeed be the cause and changed the medication. Her mother began recovering soon after.
“Not exaggerating, but ChatGPT saved her life,” Shreya wrote.
The post went viral, sparking mixed reactions. While many praised AI’s role, others criticised the medical system for overlooking something so basic.
One user commented:
“It’s not that ChatGPT figured it out — it’s that so many doctors didn’t.”
Another added:
“This shows AI’s real potential. But also a healthcare gap we need to fix.”