Digital Transformation
Artificial Intelligence
Coffee Sessions

RECORDING: Frameworks for Advancing and Governing Ethical AI in Global Health

Our speakers explore how artificial intelligence can be governed to support global health equitably. This discussion highlights ethical frameworks, practical strategies, and inclusive approaches to ensure AI benefits all communities, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

This event was hosted in partnership with the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics.

Featuring:

  • Gabriela Ramos, MPA, Former Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO
  • Alessandro Blasimme, PhD, Senior Scientist, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich)
  • Moderator: Rebecca Weintraub Brendel, MD, JD, Director, Center for Bioethics at Harvard Medical School

About the AI in Global Health Coffee Sessions in the Series

This session is part of the HGHI’s ongoing AI in Global Health Coffee Sessions in the series. These sessions explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in global health from multiple perspectives, including evaluation, implementation, governance, equity, and policy. While each session focuses on a distinct topic, the conversations are designed to build on one another and reflect the interdisciplinary questions shaping the field. Together, they highlight both the opportunities and the broader considerations involved in applying AI in global health contexts.

To learn more about other sessions in our AI in Global Health series, visit our recording & resources pages.

Key Discussion Points

  • 4:55 – Most promising opportunities for AI to advance global health equity
  • 07:36 – Ethical concerns and risks in AI for global health; motivations for working in this space
  • 11:57 – Gabrielle explains UNESCO Recommendation on Ethics of AI: purpose, goals, and intended impact
  • 20:45 – Alessandro discusses approach to systemic ethical oversight and models like FIRM
  • 30:25 – Assessment of global access to AI and its implications for health; lessons learned
  • 38:23 – Supporting countries with limited technical capacity but strong AI governance frameworks
  • 45:02 – Democratization and market-shaping of AI in health; sustaining values-driven implementation
  • 52:14 – Closing reflections and session themes

Resources