© GIZ, Luca Kaupp

Berlin, 12 October 2025 — Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming global healthcare – from diagnosis to data management. But without clear governance, it risks deepening inequalities, producing biased results, and eroding trust in public institutions.

At the World Health Summit 2025, global leaders called for regulations and ethical frameworks to ensure AI contributes to Universal Health Coverage rather than undermining it . This challenge was at the heart of this year’s panel discussion “Responsible AI in Health for Sustainable Development”, co-hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and HealthAI. Leading figures from governments, international organisations , and the private sector explored how global standards can be translated into local practice to ensure safe, fair and accessible AI-driven health innovations.

Opportunities and Risks of AI in Healthcare

Opening the session, BMZ State Secretary Niels Annen emphasised both the transformative potential and the inherent risks of AI in healthcare. Citing Nobel Prize Winner Demis Hassabis, Annen noted:  

“AI will be ten times bigger than the industrial revolution – and maybe ten times faster”
(The Guardian, 2025)

Annen pointed to examples from BMZ partner countries where AI is already improving healthcare delivery, from AI-supported cervical cancer screening in Cambodia, which has enabled doctors to detect diseases much earlier, to the digital health financing tool openIMIS in Nepal where AI speeds up insurance claim processing. Yet, he cautioned that the promise of AI comes with significant risks. “If AI is misused or poorly regulated or if it uses the wrong data, it can produce biased diagnoses or offer incorrect treatment advice. It can ultimately put patients at risk,” Annen stated. He warned that beyond biases AI can also threaten global health equity. Unequal access to AI technologies risks widening existing disparities between countries and regions, leaving vulnerable populations even further behind. Since AI and healthcare are advancing globally, Annen highlighted that multilateral cooperation will be key to ensuring that innovations benefit all countries and patients globally.

Balancing Opportunity and Risk of AI in Healthcare 

In Indonesia, AI tools are used for population data analysis and to support rural healthcare workers in performing diagnostics with specialist-level precision. They streamline hospital reimbursements and reduce administrative delays, improving both access and efficiency across the health system. However, Jenie warned that AI needs to be trained on locally generated data to reflect country population and biodiversity. “AI is becoming the bridge between the city and the rural area,” he said, but only if implemented with fairness and accountability.

Building the Foundations of AI Governance 

Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) outlined the ongoing development of an African Union AI Framework, expected to be approved in 2026. This framework will lay the continental foundation for AI governance in Africa and is a central part of the broader digital transformation agenda. Kaseya identified five pillars essential for responsible AI: policy, infrastructure, sustainable funding, skilled human resources, and regulation.

Responding to the need for regulation, the global non-profit HealthAI helps countries turn international standards and guidelines from organisations like WHO and OECD into national regulation. This ensures that AI tools are safe, effective, and fair. Dr. Christoph Benn, Chair of HealthAI emphasised that public confidence and trust are central to the responsible adoption of AI in healthcare, stressing the need for active citizen and stakeholder engagement to ensure collective responsibility.  

Private Sector Partnerships and the Role of Regulation  

Claire Bonnel, Vice President at Siemens Healthineers, outlined how AI technologies are already improving healthcare delivery. Tools such as AI-supported imaging reduce MRI scan times by up to 80 percent, ease workloads for healthcare professionals, and enhance patient outcomes. Bonnel explained , “AI is not replacing healthcare professionals. It’s helping them to do their work better”. She also noted that fragmented regulatory landscapes still make large-scale deployment difficult and stressed the need for coherent global frameworks that balance privacy, equity, and innovation. Additionally, she pointed out that public-private partnerships (PPPs) can play a key role in bridging the gap between innovation and regulation. 

“PPPs can help us really bridge the gap between innovation and governance ensuring that technologies can be safe, effective, and equitable.” – Claire Bonnel

Bonnel’s call to bridge the gap between innovation and governance set the stage for a broader reflection on the role of regulation. Building up on this, Dr. Alain Labrique, Director of Digital Health and Innovation at the World Health Organization (WHO) stressed that regulation should not be seen as a barrier to innovation. Instead, he argued, well-designed regulatory environments create the stability and trust needed for both public and private sectors to thrive.

He noted that effective public health responses are rarely the work of governments alone but the result of collaboration between public and private actors. “A well-governed, clearly regulated environment,” he explained, “reflects the maturity of a health ecosystem that can integrate innovation into its fabric.” 

A Collective Call to Action for cooperation

The session concluded with a clear message: responsible AI in healthcare requires shared ethical frameworks, equitable access, and ongoing dialogue among governments, the private sector, and civil society. Panellists highlighted that technology alone cannot drive transformation; building human capacity is essential to realising AI’s potential. Encouragingly, efforts are already moving in the right direction: HealthAI is building a global network to foster cooperation and knowledge exchange; the Africa CDC is establishing a continental regulatory framework to guide safe and equitable AI use; and the WHO is working to harmonise international standards. Governments are increasingly ready to implement national strategies, supported by growing public–private partnerships. Together, these initiatives are laying the groundwork for responsible, inclusive, and sustainable AI in health. Cooperation among governments, the private sector, and civil society will determine whether it becomes a tool for progress – or for widening divides.

Further information

• For those interested in viewing the full panel discussion, you can find the video here:  https://www.youtube.com/live/38mh7WKaijM?si=QRV7cODQQghRyMkj

Jana Altenbach & Luca Kaupp
October 2025