Artificial intelligence in the NHS: getting the priorities right The Health Foundation

In August 2019 the UK government announced a welcome boost for artificial intelligence (AI) in health care, with £250m for a national laboratory in England. Public imagination is captivated by robots, but the new lab will prioritise technologies more likely to benefit the health system and patients in the short term, including algorithms to predict demand for hospital beds and tools that identify signs of disease from diagnostic images, all underpinned by a focus on ethical and fair AI. Many health care professionals rely on paper records and outdated technology, and struggle to access basic information at the point of care. Investment is needed, but this must be matched with a credible national strategy for AI and data analytics that focuses on the needs of patients and the health system rather than technology for technology's sake. The priorities of NHSX, the national agency for digital transformation in health care that will host the AI lab, include reducing clinicians' workloads, giving patients tools to access services directly, ensuring clinical information can be accessed safely where needed, enhancing patient safety, and improving productivity.