Apple's AI And The Next Era Of Preventive Care Innovation

Forbes

08-04-2025

Preventative healthcare may be redefined if AI innovations in smartphones are successful.
Healthcare has been a reactive endeavor—waiting for symptoms to surface, scrambling to treat, and settling for incremental fixes. However, the paradigm is shifting, and Apple's rumored Project Mulberry, embedded within iOS 19.4, could mark a pivotal turning point. This isn't merely another health app; it's a proactive, AI-driven health coach poised to integrate seamlessly across iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods, leveraging sensor data, camera analytics, and behavioral patterns to transform how we approach wellness.
I have had the privilege of getting to know Dr. Harvey Castro. He has over two decades of experience as a physician, entrepreneur, and CEO of eight free-standing ERs, a medical billing and physician staffing company. He has become a driving force for change. He currently serves as a strategic advisor for ChatGPT and health care. In addition to his medical accomplishments, Dr. Castro has developed over 30 iPhone apps and wrote the first medical book on Apple's Vision Pro called Apple Vision Healthcare Pioneers.
I recently read Dr. Castro's comments where he gave what I feel is an essential perspective on Apple's Project Mulberry that came to light last week in Bloomberg's Mark Gurman's newsletter. It is reportedly an AI health coach that will replicate a real doctor.
In an email exchange with Dr. Castro, I asked his thoughts on Project Mulberry. Here is what he told me in his email reply:
" From Treatment to Prevention, as an ER physician, I've witnessed the human cost of late-stage intervention. The true promise of healthcare lies not in reactive measures but in early detection—or, better yet, preemptive action. Apple's AI coach aims to do precisely that: analyze heart rate variability, glucose trends, and even retinal scans to identify risks before symptoms manifest. Imagine your device nudging you with, "Your stress biomarkers are elevated—try this 5-minute breathing exercise," or analyzing a meal photo to suggest, "Opt for more fiber today based on your metabolic profile." This is clinical-grade insight distilled into everyday guidance.
In an AI-physician partnership, the future of medicine isn't about replacing doctors but augmenting their capabilities. As I often emphasize, "AI won't replace physicians—but physicians who harness AI will outpace those who don't." Apple's system mirrors clinical reasoning, cross-referencing data against global health benchmarks to deliver hyper-personalized advice. It's a tool that empowers users to understand their bodies while equipping clinicians with predictive analytics to intervene earlier."
Traditional population health models often generalize risk, but Apple's approach offers a more personalized solution. By dynamically stratifying individuals and identifying early biomarkers for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or neurological decline, Apple could make precision medicine more accessible. For underserved communities, this could be a game-changer: a smartphone camera that detects signs of hypertensive retinopathy or metabolic changes could provide an early warning system where healthcare facilities are limited.
Innovation comes with responsibility. If Apple launches a Health+ subscription, ensuring accessibility should be a top priority to prevent widening inequalities. AI models must undergo thorough validation, data privacy must be protected, and outcomes should be regularly monitored. The aim is not to create an exclusive service for the wealthy, but to establish a global standard for fair and equal healthcare.
I recognize how crucial it is to stay informed about one's health. After undergoing a triple bypass in 2012, I now understand the reasons behind it. If I had an AI coach tracking my vitals and recommended preventive steps, there's a good chance I could have avoided needing that surgery.
Dr. Castro sums up his perspective on Project Mulberry in the following way-
'Project Mulberry isn't just another product launch—it's a blueprint for healthcare's next chapter. By shifting the focus from crisis management to continuous, AI-guided prevention, Apple could redefine its legacy, proving that technology's highest purpose is to keep people healthy before they ever need a hospital. As someone who's raced against time in ERs, I see Project Mulberry not as a gadget but as a lifeline—one that whispers warnings long before alarms sound. And in that quiet intervention lies the future of medicine.'
If Apple and others are successful in bringing a legitimate health coach to smartphones, the era of passive health tracking could be over. With AI as our ally, we're entering an age where every heartbeat, every meal, and every breath becomes part of a preventive dialogue.
Disclosure: Apple subscribes to Creative Strategies research reports along with many other high tech companies around the world.