Courtney, a 39-year-old woman from New York, was in pain. For months, she dealt with fatigue, body aches, rashes, and overall discomfort. Doctors ran tests. They diagnosed her with an autoimmune condition. Some even suspected arthritis. But none considered something more serious.
Still, Courtney felt something was wrong. Her symptoms didn’t match what doctors were saying. Frustrated, she turned to an unlikely source, ChatGPT. She typed in her symptoms, hoping for clarity.
To her shock, the AI didn’t suggest arthritis. It pointed toward blood cancer, specifically acute myeloid leukaemia. This was in 2023.
A year later, her suspicions were confirmed. After more tests and worsening health, doctors officially diagnosed her with acute myeloid leukaemia in 2024. It matched ChatGPT’s early warning.
Courtney credits the chatbot for helping her push for answers. While the AI didn’t treat her, it gave her a direction when medical experts couldn’t. “ChatGPT saved my life,” she said in multiple interviews.
This case has sparked a debate. Can AI tools like ChatGPT help detect illnesses before humans can? Medical professionals say AI should never replace a real diagnosis. But they also agree it can support early detection.
In Courtney’s case, it wasn’t about choosing between AI and doctors. It was about using both. When one failed, the other offered a clue worth chasing.
Her story is now viral. It raises tough questions and hope. In a world where technology is often blamed, here’s one case where it possibly saved a life.
