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<\/p>\nMy experience with Grok has been excellent. Here\u2019s another opinion from the WSJ.<\/p>\n
Wall Street Journal author Daniel Akst says I Finally Have a Physician Who\u2019s Available and Who Gets Me. Meet Dr. Grok.<\/a> <\/p>\n That\u2019s a free link. Here are a few snips.<\/p>\n My human doctors rarely have time to talk for long, and don\u2019t seem all that interested in the big picture. Chatbots are different.<\/p>\n I tried AI out of frustration, necessity, and yes also curiosity, but it has since become my favorite \u201cphysician,\u201d if you don\u2019t mind using the term loosely. Obviously, AI is no substitute for a real doctor in many circumstances. But in many nonemergency circumstances, a real doctor isn\u2019t available. And 20 minutes of his time, if you can get it, isn\u2019t enough to really know a patient or manage his or her health. My experience hints at the usefulness AI may someday have in finding a way out of our expensive, fragmented and ineffective approach to human health. It also highlights deficiencies in the way even elite care is provided today.<\/p>\n At my last annual physical I told him I desperately needed somebody to quarterback my care, but that it was nearly impossible to get in to see him. \u201cIt\u2019s like getting an audience with the pope,\u201d he acknowledged. \u201cI can\u2019t quarterback anything.\u201d<\/p>\n When a blood test showed somewhat low iron, for instance, one hurried physician sent me a message saying, \u201cEat lentils.\u201d But I already eat lots of iron-rich red meat. Lentils contain non-heme iron, which is poorly absorbed unless accompanied by food containing vitamin C, all of which the physician left unsaid.<\/p>\n Contrast his terse advice with what I got from Grok, my go-to AI chatbot, when I asked what I ought to eat if my iron levels are a little low. The response, a model of clarity and nuance, was immediate and free: \u201cTo raise low iron levels, focus on iron-rich foods and pair them strategically to boost absorption.\u201d It then listed foods that might help, starting with meats, followed by three helpful bullet points.<\/p>\n \u201cPair\u00a0non-heme iron foods with vitamin C sources (e.g., bell peppers, oranges, tomatoes) to increase absorption.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAvoid\u00a0consuming calcium-rich foods (dairy), tea, or coffee with iron-rich meals, as they can inhibit absorption.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCook\u00a0in cast-iron pans to add small amounts of iron to food.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s rare for any doctor to explain this much, pressed as they are or time. But Grok explains everything, and if something seems unclear I can ask a question and get clarification. And ask again. And again. It never runs out of time or patience.<\/p>\n In fairness, Grok depends on me to provide a lot of information I\u2019ve already gleaned from physicians and reading. And it must be used with caution; AI does make mistakes.\u00a0\u201cIt has made two big ones with me,\u201d one acquaintance reported by email, \u201cand when I challenged it, it said, you\u2019re right and thanks for calling me out. But they were both kind of worrisome and made me at least somewhat more cautious.\u201d<\/p>\n Recently, after telling Grok of my various diagnoses, I described some mysterious symptoms that any or all of them could be causing (and that my physicians largely ignore). Are these symptoms just an inevitable part of aging, or something worth addressing somehow?<\/p>\n While old age can contribute, Grok opined, \u201cyour symptoms are specific and severe enough\u2026to suggest underlying medical issues rather than just aging.\u201d Grok then ran through each of the symptoms, with recommended steps for further testing and treatment\u2014a virtual road map for navigating my health issues. I had never had anything remotely so coherent from any of my doctors, most of whom belong to a healthcare network that could easily use AI to help prepare annual health assessments for patients\u2014with progress reports, and recommended tests and goals.<\/p>\n My Experience with Grok<\/p>\n I frequently tag Grok on my Tweets (I still prefer that name). And I get intelligent replies. <\/p>\n For example, please consider my post The Social Security COLA for 2025 is 2.8 Percent. Not Enough? Too Much?<\/a><\/p>\n Grok responded to my Tweet, working out the key context of my very short questions \u201cNot Enough? Too Much?\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the exchange that follows in posts (Tweets) on X.<\/p>\n The 2.8% COLA (for 2026, per SSA) trails metrics like senior-specific CPI, which weights healthcare higher and shows persistent erosion in purchasing power for retirees facing rising premiums and housing costs. Yet Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency demands restraint\u2014automatic\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Grok (@grok) October 29, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n The \u201cshow more\u201d from Grok was \u201cYet Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency demands restraint\u2014automatic hikes without reforms like means-testing or age adjustments accelerate the 2034 cliff. It\u2019s neither purely enough nor excessive; targeted fixes beat blanket increases.\u201c<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the further exchange. <\/p>\n Precisely\u2014the COLA preserves nominal value yet accelerates insolvency without offsets. Solvency hinges on reforms like expanding payroll tax bases or gradual retirement age hikes, averting the trustees\u2019 projected 2035 benefit cuts. Politicians\u2019 stasis ignores arithmetic; xAI\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Grok (@grok) October 29, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Grok understood my question \u201cDivide Millions by What to Get Billions?\u201d<\/p>\n The answer is 1,000.<\/p>\n