Doctors fear Google skin check app will lead to ‘tsunami of overdiagnosis’

There are nearly 10bn Google searches for skin, nail and hair issues each year, prompting the tech giant to create a dermatology assist tool'

Google's entry into health diagnostics has alarmed health experts who fear a new artificial intelligence tool to identify skin conditions could lead to overdiagnosis, or rare and complex skin conditions being missed.

At a technology conference in the US on Tuesday, Google revealed there are almost 10bn Google searches related to skin, nail and hair issues every year. In response, Google has developed an artificial intelligence dermatology assist tool" for people with concerns about their skin. Users of the app can use their phone to take three images of their skin, hair or nails from different angles.