TL;DR:
- Health AI, a global agency, is launched to regulate AI in healthcare, mirroring the trust-building process of early elevators.
- The agency aims to create coherent AI policies and regulations for health systems worldwide.
- Rapid advances in AI for disease diagnosis and treatment pose challenges for healthcare agencies.
- Health AI will bridge the gap between international standards and the practical implementation of AI in healthcare.
- It seeks to streamline regulatory approvals for AI health innovations through a global network model.
- Private sector innovators will need regulatory approval, funding expansion of regulatory agencies into AI.
- The initiative addresses disparities in healthcare access between high and low-income countries.
- Public sector support can turn promising AI innovations into global public goods.
- Ensuring AI serves humanity remains a priority amid challenges like privacy and political control.
Main AI News:
In 1853, Elisha Otis, the inventor of a groundbreaking elevator safety brake, astounded a crowd by suspending an elevator over their heads and then severing the cables. The innovative safety brake quickly engaged, showcasing a technology that would shape modern cities worldwide. Dr. Ricardo Leite, a Portuguese physician, reflects on this, noting, “From New York to Johannesburg, to Geneva to Lisbon, this would have been impossible without the simple elevator that we get into probably every day without even thinking about it.”
At a recent exclusive event in Geneva, attended by prominent figures from Geneva’s international agencies and diplomatic corps, Dr. Leite spoke during the launch of Health AI, the Global Agency for Responsible AI in Health. This initiative, previously known as I-DAIR (International Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Research Network), originated in 2019 at the Geneva Graduate Institute under the leadership of Amandeep Singh Gill, the UN Secretary General’s Tech Envoy. After a year-long strategic reassessment and acquiring WHO implementing partner status, Health AI now aims to not only facilitate research but also drive the development and implementation of coherent AI regulatory policies on a national and global scale.
The ultimate goal is to establish trust in AI methodologies and devices within health systems, mirroring the trust the elevator inspired over a century ago.
AI’s Rapid Progress Challenges Healthcare Agencies
Post-pandemic, advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases through new technologies have surged, particularly in the realm of AI-driven digital health technologies. National and regional health systems grapple with the daunting task of keeping up with the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-powered medical devices. They require evidence-based standards for review and approval to ensure that valuable innovations gain acceptance.
Dr. Leite acknowledges the profound changes that have taken place since 2019, stating, “We are in the middle of a scientific and technological revolution, not only because of machine learning and super-intelligence but because of the links between what’s happening in artificial intelligence with other sectors of the scientific revolution – from quantum computing to biotechnology to gene editing.”
In response to these challenges, Health AI is transforming itself into a global agency dedicated to assisting countries, especially low- and middle-income ones, in formulating and implementing comprehensive AI policies and regulations for health and medical technologies. This shift represents a significant departure from its original research-focused role.
Dr. Leite elaborates on this transition, saying, “We’ve become an implementing partner of the WHO. We are part of the management team of the Global Initiative on AI for Health, which is a partnership between WHO, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).”
AI Technologies Already Impacting Healthcare
AI technologies are already making substantial inroads in healthcare settings. For instance, AI is nearly ubiquitous in the modern analysis of CT and MRI images to identify tumors and other physiological anomalies. Dr. Leite underscores this, stating, “Most modern equipment is already using artificial intelligence, looking at millions of images to automatically interpret the image that comes out from a certain patient, providing a proposed interpretation.”
However, the adoption of new technologies also faces challenges rooted in trust. Historically, new health interventions, from clean water and sanitation to the COVID-19 vaccine, have encountered widespread public skepticism, impeding their rollout and utilization.
Dr. Leite addresses this, stating, “The lack of effective governance… is increasing the risk and also the distrust and hindering the adoption of responsible AI solutions towards better health outcomes.”
Navigating the Complex Terrain of AI Regulation
As Health AI moves into its role as a global agency, it aims to bridge the gap between international normative standards set by organizations like the WHO, ITU, and WIPO and their practical implementation by countries. Dr. Leite emphasizes the urgency of this mission, given the massive investments pouring into AI, stating, “The trillions that are being invested will be translated into thousands of AI-driven tools that will flood the market.“
Furthermore, Health AI intends to build regional capacity by training teams capable of validating AI health tools, ensuring compliance with responsible AI standards, and facilitating access to their respective markets. Regulatory reviews of AI health innovations are expected to be conducted by existing national and regional medicines agencies.
The global network model proposed by Health AI aims to streamline the approval process for AI technologies. Dr. Leite highlights the importance of such a network, citing the overwhelming pace of innovation: “New AI tools are increasing from a few dozen to 200 to 300 a year. And that is only the beginning, as trillions of dollars are invested into AI.”
Once firmly established, regulations for health AI will require private sector innovators to submit their creations for regulatory approval and pay application fees, much like the process for medicines today. This revenue can fund the expansion of regulatory agencies into the AI realm.
Addressing Global Disparities in Healthcare Access
Health AI also seeks to address the glaring gap in access to new health technologies, especially AI-based ones, between high-income and low-income countries. Ensuring that intellectual property agreements with the private sector do not exclude low-income countries is crucial for wide access to essential AI technologies.
José Barroso, board chair of the Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, adds that public sector support for promising AI innovations can transform them into global public goods accessible to all.
As we navigate the opportunities and challenges posed by AI in healthcare, the paramount concern remains ensuring that AI serves humanity, rather than the other way around. Dr. Leite concludes, “The first thing we learned at medical school is first do no harm. It doesn’t mean avoiding all risks. It means ensuring that the benefits override the risks to a point that can lead to better health outcomes for most of the population.”
Conclusion:
The launch of Health AI and its mission to establish global AI regulations for healthcare signifies a pivotal moment in the healthcare technology market. It underscores the urgency of harmonizing international standards with practical implementation to facilitate the adoption of AI-driven innovations. This move will likely spur innovation while ensuring patient safety and trust in healthcare AI, potentially expanding market opportunities for responsible AI solutions. However, the market will also face challenges related to regulatory compliance and the need for responsible AI practices.
