Elon Musk wants people to submit their medical scans to Grok, his AI chatbot

Historical coverage, October 2024. Context reviewed September 23, 2026. The quotations below describe the discussion at that time. They are not a current validation study or an instruction to upload personal medical scans. Evaluate privacy safeguards and clinical suitability for the specific service and intended use.

Harvey Castro, MD, a board-certified emergency medicine physician and national speaker on artificial intelligence based in Dallas, Texas, referred to Grok’s potential ability to read medical scans as "promising and complex."

"As an ER physician, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial quick, accurate diagnostics are in life-threatening situations," Castro told Fox News Digital.

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"AI can be a powerful tool in augmenting medical expertise, potentially accelerating diagnosis and improving patient outcomes."

Caution is essential, experts say

While Grok and other AI models show promise in interpreting medical scans, both experts agree that users should proceed with caution.

"Doctors still need to guide the way or be available remotely to oversee guidance," Siegel said.

"This is still early stage, but it is already quite accurate and will become extremely good," Elon Musk, co-founder of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of X Holdings Corp., wrote about Grok. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

"It will not replace doctors entirely, but will be a very useful partner."

Castro emphasized that medical AI must meet the "highest standards of accuracy and reliability, particularly when dealing with sensitive, life-impacting information."

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My take today

When I commented on this in 2024, my point was simple: an AI that can read an image is promising, and uploading your own scans to a general chatbot is a different question from using a validated clinical tool.

That distinction still matters. Before anyone shares a scan with an AI service, I ask three questions:

• Where does the image go? Read the privacy terms. A consumer chatbot is not the same as a hospital system covered by a business associate agreement.
• What has the tool been tested on? A model that performs well in a demo has not necessarily been validated for your type of scan or your clinical question.
• Who acts on the answer? An AI reading should start a conversation with a physician, not replace one.

Questions people ask

Should I upload my medical scans to an AI chatbot?

I would not upload identifiable medical images to a consumer chatbot without understanding its privacy terms. If you want a second look, ask your doctor or a radiologist first.

Can AI read X-rays and MRIs?

Some FDA-cleared tools help radiologists with specific tasks. A general chatbot is not one of them, so treat its reading as a question to bring to your doctor, not a diagnosis.

Educational content only, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.

Handing scans to a chatbot raises the trust questions DR GPT™ works on. Meet DR GPT™.