In the UK, a new £140million Artificial Intelligence award, which aims to bring life-saving innovation to the NHS, has been launched by the Health secretary Matt Hancock at the ‘Parliament and HealthTech Conference’. Health technology companies can bid for a share of £140 million to launch their AI innovation across the health service, with funding awarded based on their potential to save lives, reduce staff burden and deliver effective results.

In his speech Hancock said: “This whole agenda is not about technology, it’s about people. It’s the tech that lets you make eye contact with the patient in front of you. It’s the kind of tech that gives clinicians more time, allowing them to care. It’s what will bring our NHS into the 21st century.”

Innovators working with the AI Lab will need to comply with the NHS’s Code of Conduct for data-driven technologies. This will ensure that AI is developed in a safe, ethical, evidenced and transparent way that puts patient privacy first.