NHS to launch artificial intelligence lab

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has announced plans to launch an artificial intelligence (AI) laboratory.

The NHS will explore the technology to improve research and patient care, the BBC reported.

The UK’s Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, referred to AI having “enormous power” to better the NHS.

The government will invest £250mn (US$304mn) into incorporating the technology into the nation’s health services.

“The power of artificial intelligence to improve medicine, to save lives, to improve the way treatments are done, that power is enormous,” Hancock informed BBC News.

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“In this country, we’ve got the opportunity to be one of the leading countries in the world at using this new technology.”

“I want the NHS, through its AI lab, to actually be searching itself for new insights that are going to save lives.”

AI is expected to be used on medical imaging to help detect cancers and eye conditions, and well as identify patients more like to miss appointments so they can be contacted with reminders.

However, the technology also introduces issues such as protecting patient data and the rise in demand for staff training.