Our national AI strategy approach

The NHS AI Lab is working on an ambitious National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Health and Social Care. The strategy will provide a clear vision for the future and help to ensure we set up the health and care system to make the best use of AI that is safe, ethical and effective.

Through its various programmes, the NHS AI Lab has funded trials and real-world testing of the most promising AI technologies in order to evaluate what actually works. The Lab is helping to tackle specific challenges in the health and care sectors, including the regulation of AI products.

Good progress has been made with identifying the barriers to developing AI and getting it into real-world use in the NHS, but the long term realisation of its benefits will require more time. This is why we’re developing a strategy that sets out the necessary building blocks for ensuring that future AI in health and care is safe, ethical and effective.

In September 2021 we published a very early draft of the AI Strategy on the AI Virtual Hub Future NHS platform and asked people to review and give feedback for 4 weeks. We are now working on the updated version and would like to encourage anyone who wants to get involved to join the community hub or contact us at ailab@nhsx.nhs.uk.