Concerns Over Privacy and Liability Surround AI Health Devices at CES in Nevada
The annual CES trade show showcases an array of health tech gadgets that promise to revolutionize personal wellness. Among the highlights is a smart scale that scans your feet to monitor heart health, and an innovative egg-shaped hormone tracker that employs AI to help users identify optimal conception times.
However, tech and health experts express concerns regarding the accuracy of such products and potential data privacy issues, especially as federal regulations become more lenient. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced during the Las Vegas event that it would ease regulations on “low-risk” general wellness products, including heart monitors and wheelchairs. This move aligns with the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate barriers for AI innovation. The White House recently repealed an executive order from former President Biden that established safeguards around AI, while the Department of Health and Human Services outlined strategies to expand AI usage.
Exhibitors at CES presented technologies aimed at addressing healthcare needs in rural areas, enhancing research into women’s health, and improving accessibility for individuals with disabilities. According to Marschall Runge, a professor of medical science at the University of Michigan, AI technologies hold significant promise in the $4.3 trillion healthcare industry. They excel in analyzing medical imaging and can help streamline healthcare providers’ busy schedules. However, Runge cautions that these technologies can also perpetuate biases and “hallucinate,” presenting incorrect information as fact.
“I would urge people not to think that the technology is the same as a well-resourced, thoughtful, research-driven medical professional,” stated Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Privacy protections, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), do not extend to data collected by consumer devices. Cohn warns that companies might use this data to train their AI models or sell it to third parties.
With many gadgets showcased at CES, understanding where your information goes can be challenging. “You have to dig down through the fine print to try to figure that out, and I just don’t think that’s fair or right for the people who might rely on it,” Cohn added.
Despite these concerns, product creators assert that their innovations address significant healthcare gaps while prioritizing customer privacy. Sylvia Kang, founder and CEO of Mira, developed the egg-shaped hormone tracker after noticing many friends lacked knowledge about their hormonal health. Users can dip a wand in urine, insert it into the monitor, and view results via an app. Kang claims that her company utilizes AI to analyze female hormone data and maintains one of the largest hormonal health databases, with all data securely stored in the cloud and not shared with third parties.
“There was no such thing before,” Kang emphasized regarding her $250 product. Many gadgets at CES focused on women’s health, an area historically under-researched and underfunded. Prior to 1993, women were often excluded from clinical trials, and research on menopause remains limited. Amy Divaraniya, founder and CEO of the women’s health company Oova, highlighted that while not every woman will conceive, all women experience menopause, yet “we know nothing about it.”
One innovative gadget, Peri, aims to enhance understanding of perimenopause—the transitional phase before menopause. This wearable device tracks hot flashes and night sweats, providing users with valuable data through an app.
Improving Accessibility to Health Care
Other CES products focus on increasing access to health information. The free AI chatbot, 0xmd, aims to improve medical information access in areas with doctor shortages, offering a cost-effective alternative. Founder Allen Au explained that users can ask the chatbot questions about medicine, upload photos of skin conditions, and submit doctors’ notes for clearer translations.
“At the end of the day, I don’t think we will replace doctors,” Au noted, but the chatbot can provide a valuable second opinion. OpenAI also announced the launch of ChatGPT Health, a similar platform.
Cohn remains skeptical about consumer tech, acknowledging that while these tools can help users ask the right questions of their healthcare providers, they should not be seen as substitutes for professional medical advice. “People need to remember that these are just tools; they’re not oracles who are delivering truths,” she cautioned.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The annual CES trade show showcases an array of health tech gadgets that promise to revolutionize personal wellness. Among the highlights is a smart scale that scans your feet to monitor heart health, and an innovative egg-shaped hormone tracker that employs AI to help users identify optimal conception times.
However, tech and health experts express concerns regarding the accuracy of such products and potential data privacy issues, especially as federal regulations become more lenient. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced during the Las Vegas event that it would ease regulations on “low-risk” general wellness products, including heart monitors and wheelchairs. This move aligns with the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate barriers for AI innovation. The White House recently repealed an executive order from former President Biden that established safeguards around AI, while the Department of Health and Human Services outlined strategies to expand AI usage.
Exhibitors at CES presented technologies aimed at addressing healthcare needs in rural areas, enhancing research into women’s health, and improving accessibility for individuals with disabilities. According to Marschall Runge, a professor of medical science at the University of Michigan, AI technologies hold significant promise in the $4.3 trillion healthcare industry. They excel in analyzing medical imaging and can help streamline healthcare providers’ busy schedules. However, Runge cautions that these technologies can also perpetuate biases and “hallucinate,” presenting incorrect information as fact.
“I would urge people not to think that the technology is the same as a well-resourced, thoughtful, research-driven medical professional,” stated Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Privacy protections, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), do not extend to data collected by consumer devices. Cohn warns that companies might use this data to train their AI models or sell it to third parties.
With many gadgets showcased at CES, understanding where your information goes can be challenging. “You have to dig down through the fine print to try to figure that out, and I just don’t think that’s fair or right for the people who might rely on it,” Cohn added.
Despite these concerns, product creators assert that their innovations address significant healthcare gaps while prioritizing customer privacy. Sylvia Kang, founder and CEO of Mira, developed the egg-shaped hormone tracker after noticing many friends lacked knowledge about their hormonal health. Users can dip a wand in urine, insert it into the monitor, and view results via an app. Kang claims that her company utilizes AI to analyze female hormone data and maintains one of the largest hormonal health databases, with all data securely stored in the cloud and not shared with third parties.
“There was no such thing before,” Kang emphasized regarding her $250 product. Many gadgets at CES focused on women’s health, an area historically under-researched and underfunded. Prior to 1993, women were often excluded from clinical trials, and research on menopause remains limited. Amy Divaraniya, founder and CEO of the women’s health company Oova, highlighted that while not every woman will conceive, all women experience menopause, yet “we know nothing about it.”
One innovative gadget, Peri, aims to enhance understanding of perimenopause—the transitional phase before menopause. This wearable device tracks hot flashes and night sweats, providing users with valuable data through an app.
Improving Accessibility to Health Care
Other CES products focus on increasing access to health information. The free AI chatbot, 0xmd, aims to improve medical information access in areas with doctor shortages, offering a cost-effective alternative. Founder Allen Au explained that users can ask the chatbot questions about medicine, upload photos of skin conditions, and submit doctors’ notes for clearer translations.
“At the end of the day, I don’t think we will replace doctors,” Au noted, but the chatbot can provide a valuable second opinion. OpenAI also announced the launch of ChatGPT Health, a similar platform.
Cohn remains skeptical about consumer tech, acknowledging that while these tools can help users ask the right questions of their healthcare providers, they should not be seen as substitutes for professional medical advice. “People need to remember that these are just tools; they’re not oracles who are delivering truths,” she cautioned.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
