The warning is detailed in a report by the UN World Health Organization’s (WHO) European office, highlighting AI’s role in helping doctors diagnose diseases, streamline administrative tasks, and communicate with patients. AI is transforming care delivery, data interpretation, and resource allocation. Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, emphasized the need for strategies, data privacy, legal frameworks, and investment in AI literacy to prevent exacerbating inequities.
The report represents the first comprehensive review of AI adoption and regulation in health systems across the region, with responses from 50 out of 53 countries. Despite recognizing AI’s transformative potential in diagnostics, disease surveillance, and personalized medicine, only four countries have a dedicated national strategy, and seven are developing one. Estonia, for example, integrates electronic health records, insurance data, and population databases on a unified platform for AI tools. Finland has invested in AI training for health workers, while Spain is piloting AI for early disease detection in primary care.
Regulation struggles to match technological advancements across the region. Legal uncertainty is the top barrier to AI adoption for 86% of countries, with 78% citing financial concerns. Only a minority have liability standards for AI in health, vital for determining responsibility when AI systems err or cause harm. The report highlights broad consensus on policy measures to facilitate AI uptake, including liability rules for AI system manufacturers, deployers, and users, and guidance on transparency, verifiability, and explainability of AI solutions to build trust.
WHO urged countries to align AI strategies with public health goals, invest in an AI-ready workforce, enhance legal and ethical safeguards, engage with the public, and improve cross-border data governance. Dr. Kluge remarked on AI’s potential to revolutionize healthcare, noting that its promise will be fulfilled only if patient and health worker interests are prioritized. The choices made now will determine whether AI empowers or marginalizes them.
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