Loblaw launches PC Chat AI health chatbot in Canada

Loblaw Companies Limited has launched PC Chat, an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot designed to provide health information. The tool reportedly processed over 100,000 questions during its first week of operation.

PC Chat is trained on Canadian clinical sources, including provincial vaccine guidelines, health professional associations, and organizations such as Diabetes Canada. The service is accessible via pchealth.ca or through the PC Health and Shoppers Drug Mart apps. Users who obtain prescriptions at Shoppers Drug Mart may opt to link their pharmacy records to the chatbot to receive more personalized responses.

While medical technology experts suggest the tool may provide more reliable, Canada-specific information than general AI models, they have raised concerns regarding data privacy. Experts advise users to review how personal data is used and stored, noting that current government regulations for AI chatbots are lagging behind the technology. Lauren Steinberg, Loblaw’s chief digital officer, stated that while the tool aims to help Canadians, the company also benefits from increased consumer trust.