Page 8 - Shaping ethics, regulation and standardization in AI for health

Foreword – WHO

Artificial Intelligence is already reshaping how we think
about health care delivery – offering new ways to close
gaps, strengthen systems, and extend care to those who
need it most. At the World Health Organization, we see AI
not as an end in itself, but as a tool that must be developed
and deployed in alignment with core public health values:
equity, ethics, and impact.
The ITU/WHO Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence
for Health (FG-AI4H) has been a cornerstone of this
effort. Over the past five years, this unique collaboration
brought together regulators, clinicians, technologists,
and public health leaders to co-develop a framework for
the trustworthy use of AI in health. In this span, the group
produced a comprehensive set of deliverables that address the ethical, regulatory, technical,
and clinical dimensions of AI for health. These outputs are not only technical guidelines – they
are instruments of equity, designed to ensure that AI benefits all populations, including those
in low-resource settings.

Importantly, the Focus Group also gave rise to the Open Code Initiative (OCI), an early example
of how WHO’s vision for digital public goods can be realized. By encouraging open, peer-
reviewed code and real-world validation, the OCI has helped ensure that AI solutions are not
only effective but adaptable and accountable to local needs, stimulating local production and
innovation.

As we evolve this work through the tripartite Global Initiative on AI for Health (GI-AI4H), we are
building on a foundation shaped by the FG-AI4H's collective insight and real-world experience.
This next phase will focus on scaling responsible innovation, strengthening national capacities,
and enabling implementation – with countries at the centre.

To all who contributed to FG-AI4H – thank you. Your commitment and collaboration have laid
the groundwork for a future where AI serves not just the technologically advanced, but acts as
a catalyst for better health and well-being for all.

Alain Labrique
Director, Department of Digital Health and Innovation
World Health Organization

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