As India hosts the global AI impact summit, rhetoric about the transformative potential of AI in healthcare seems to be overshadowing critical ground realities and concerns. During this conversation, clinicians, public health experts, AI technologists, health workers, and patient-advocates gathered not to celebrate AI, but to interrogate it while exploring alternative approaches. AI systems should translate complex medical information into clear, relevant explanations which support informed decisions. If public data and public funds build AI systems, their primary obligation must be to strengthen public provisioning — not subsidising corporate profits. While shaping the future of Indian healthcare, AI and various technologies can provide assistance — but people, health workers and public health must remain firmly at the centre.

Source: The Hindu February 20, 2026 02:36 UTC