At the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Tuesday, doctors, policymakers, global experts and industry leaders discussed how AI can be woven into everyday public health systems, with a focus on using these tools responsibly, making them work on the ground, and ensuring they genuinely improve access and outcomes for patients.
From digital foundations to clinical validation in AI healthcare
Speakers at the health panels, titled “Innovation to Impact: AI as a Public Health Gamechanger”, focused on how India has built digital health foundations, what its future will be, and how the country can move from digitised health records and telemedicine platforms to systematic AI integration in routine care.
NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul stressed that innovation in healthcare cannot happen in isolation. He urged innovators to collaborate with clinicians, biomedical scientists, microbiologists, public health experts, pathologists and radiologists. He said, “My first request to those who wish to innovate, please co-create with a health technical partner very often.”
He also reminded developers that healthcare tools must be measured rigorously.
“There is something known as sensitivity, specificity… at least today, we are using those matrices,” Dr Paul said, emphasising the need for validation before adoption.
He further stressed that responsible innovation must align with legal and regulatory frameworks.
“We want a culture of adoption. Whatever is validated… we’ll absorb into the system. We’ll take them through the health technology assessment, make it available as a public good,” he added.
If used properly, AI in health can be beneficial: Experts
Dr Harsh Mahajan, radiologist and Founder and Managing Director of Mahajan Imaging, stressed the ethical use of AI to bring maximum benefits to people. He said, “If used ethically, if used properly, AI in healthcare can only be beneficial, especially if used under supervision of healthcare professionals and not by lay public at large, where they feed their data into ChatGPT or whatever, and try to figure out what’s happening”.
He also highlighted that AI is already embedded in modern imaging.
“Our CT, MRI, ultrasound equipment have AI inside that helps in reduction of radiation on CT scans, faster, higher quality scans on MRI and ultrasound, and actually automatic recognition of lesions,” he said.
AI can address inequity, but not replace empathy: MoHFW
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel framed AI as a governance tool.
“The real measure of the power of AI lies in the extent to which it is able to touch, it is able to address the health inequities,” she said.
She acknowledged India’s unique challenges, which include a vast population, rural-urban divides and a dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Technology, she stressed, is not cosmetic adoption but a strategic response.
Under the One Health Mission, she highlighted an AI tool developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research that analyses genomes and predicts zoonotic outbreaks before animal-to-human transmission.
She also pointed to AI-supported handheld X-rays in TB screening as an example of augmentation, not replacement.
“Healthcare thrives not just on algorithms. Healthcare thrives on human touch, on empathy, on compassion… This human touch can never be provided by AI,” she said.
Addressing doctors, she urged them to focus on AI literacy. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has launched an online AI training programme for doctors across India.
“AI cannot compete with clinicians. It can only compensate for their absence,” she said.
Financing AI for public health and small AI deployment
The World Bank Group hosted a discussion focusing on policy coordination, access to foundational AI infrastructure and real-world applications for development.
With the key theme on the impact of small AI as a practical, affordable tool that runs on everyday devices and works even in low-connectivity settings, a dedicated panel discussed how large-scale financing can move AI from pilots to sustained deployment, covering compute costs, infrastructure, skills and operations.
Global perspectives: Governance over hype in AI health
Alain Labrique, Director at WHO’s Digital Health division, underlined that the future of
AI in health will not be defined by speed or hype; it will be defined by governance, implementation, safety and contextual integration.
He stressed rigorous evaluation, cost-effectiveness and responsible scaling within complex health systems.
In collaboration with WHO, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India AI Mission and ICMR, a compendium of AI health use cases from the Global South is being launched at the Summit.
Roy Jakobs, CEO of Philips, described AI as “a really big gateway to unlock healthcare for bigger access.” He pointed to Lumify, a handheld ultrasound device that, with AI guidance, can assist lay users step by step under supervision.
Meanwhile, Nico Schiettekatte, Counsellor for Health, Welfare & Sport at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, emphasised partnerships across the patient journey, from prevention and early diagnostics to remote monitoring. He highlighted that deployment and real-world outcomes matter as much as technology development.
“If we apply it for health, are the patients recovering better?” he asked, bringing the focus back to measurable impact.
India AI Impact Summit 2026: A global platform for AI governance
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is a five-day global gathering hosted in New Delhi, bringing together governments, international organisations, industry, academia and civil society to shape how AI can drive inclusive growth and strengthen public services.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Summit, which is witnessing participation from over 20 Heads of State and 60 ministers.
 "AI in health can be beneficial if used under supervision: Experts at AI Summit")
