Samsung says Health AI opt-out won’t erase records

Samsung says opting out of AI training in Samsung Health will not delete a user’s existing health records or stop the app from syncing with their account. The company issued the clarification after an in-app warning appeared to suggest the opposite.

The consent screen, titled “Consent to the Use of Health Data for AI Training and Modelling,” asks users to allow Samsung to use Samsung Health information to improve health-analysis algorithms and AI features. Samsung said that if users withdraw consent, only data collected separately for AI development is removed.

That matters because the warning had appeared to say that revoking consent would stop account syncing and erase stored health information unless Samsung had to retain it by law. In a statement provided to 9to5Google, Samsung said existing records remain available and Samsung Health continues to work normally. Testing by SamMobile, cited by Android Authority, found that records stayed visible and syncing continued after consent was withdrawn.

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What data the consent covers

According to details reviewed by Android Authority, the consent covers a wide range of information, including:

• body measurements
• nutrition
• step counts
• activity
• sleep
• prescriptions
• diagnoses
• test results
• treatment records
• menstrual-cycle information

The consent flow also says the process may include human review. Samsung has not said whether data involved in that review is identifiable, pseudonymized, or aggregated, and it has not published a complete list of affected regions.

Policy questions remain for organizations

TechRepublic notes that the wording creates a practical issue for organizations that allow Samsung Health on managed devices, support bring-your-own-device policies, or recommend Samsung wearables through employee wellness programs. Internal guidance should distinguish between data needed to run Samsung Health and data copied for AI development.

The publication says privacy reviews should spell out what information is covered, whether human review is involved, how long AI-development data is retained, and whether notices vary by region. Reviews should also examine permissions, access controls, logging, and audit records.

Samsung’s US consumer health data privacy statement says it covers medical records, diagnoses, medication, reproductive information, and data produced through algorithms or machine learning. It also says consumers may withdraw consent where consent is the applicable legal basis. But the company still has not explained how the new AI-training process handles data separation, human review, retention, or regional availability.