Value from health data creates dilemma for society

The power of artificial intelligence to transform every field it touches is one of the unchallenged truths of our time -- but when it comes to healthcare, the technology's potential is often seen through a western lens. From hopes of faster drug discovery to systems that will help people manage chronic diseases better, the emphasis is frequently on how it can support, or otherwise make life easier, for those in the developed world. But attention is increasingly turning to how AI can address the pressing problems of poorer nations as they seek to move towards universal health coverage. In some cases, these are challenges that are distinct to the global south, but in others the problems faced in developing regions are to some extent shared by patients, physicians and payers across the globe. The Lancet's collaboration with the Financial Times on a commission on the convergence of digital health, AI and universal health coverage will concentrate on international governance and regulatory regimes.