AI could revolutionise healthcare, but only if it is safe. Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO of HealthAI, tells us how they are putting AI safety first at the national and global levels.
HealthAI is the global agency for responsible AI in health. Ricardo explains how HealthAI collaborates with member countries on their national AI policy development by conducting baseline assessments of their regulatory landscapes, strengthening policy and filling policy gaps, and continually monitoring their systems as the AI landscape changes. At the global level, Ricardo describes the communications infrastructure they have developed for global AI safety, such as the HealthAI Global Regulatory Network and the HealthAI Global Early Warning System. The goal is for nations to have strong internal capabilities and strong external communications for responsible AI scaling.
We also discuss HealthAI’s strategy as they plan to scale their own operation beyond 10 member countries. HealthAI’s strategy development mirrors their mindful approach to AI safety. He reflects on the importance of having long-term discussions, involving all internal and external stakeholders, and seeking outside feedback before making big scaling decisions. Ricardo says that the team must believe that their strategy will work before they implement it, and it takes time and effort to achieve that level of certainty.
We also discuss the diversity of thought among those in the AI space, with some believing that safety should be considered after rollout of new technology. Ricardo recognises the economic incentives for speed and the resulting rush to market, but is clear that without safety, the technology cannot scale fully to benefit society. He leaves us with a call to action: have a position on AI safety and share it with your legislator.
Check out the HealthAI website.
A special thanks to Alyce Brogan for suggesting this conversation!
Supported by Norman Broadbent.
Ricardo Baptista Leite
