The Economist AI Health Summit
The Economist's AI in Health Summit, scheduled for October 1st, 2025, in London at The Royal College of Physicians, is a significant event focusing on the application of artificial intelligence in healthcare. This summit convenes a broad spectrum of participants, including policymakers, clinicians, healthcare providers, patient advocates, pharmaceutical companies, med-tech innovators, academics, NGOs, charities, and investors. Attendees can anticipate gaining insights and case studies, exploring strategies for developing resilient health systems, and discussing how AI can optimize healthcare delivery.
A key part of the summit will be the presentation by our Co-founder & CEO, Dr. Ittai Dayan, titled "Data, privacy, bias." Dr. Dayan will address the complex requirements for the responsible deployment of AI in healthcare, particularly focusing on the necessity of efficient data flow, ensuring patient privacy, and mitigating biases within AI models.
Dr. Dayan will explain why federated computing is an important method for achieving these objectives. He will demonstrate how federated computing enables secure, privacy-preserving collaborations across organizations, which are essential for realizing the full potential of AI in healthcare and life sciences. His presentation will compare federated computing with other approaches such as cloud digital clean rooms or data centralization, highlighting its advantages:
- Enhanced Privacy & Security: Federated computing keeps sensitive data localized, reducing transfer risks and maintaining existing security controls. It also supports privacy-enhancing techniques like differential privacy and k-anonymization.
- Improved Governance: By minimizing unnecessary data transfers, federated computing helps organizations manage liability and cybersecurity risks more effectively.
- Cost Efficiency: This approach avoids the egress, transfer, and duplicative storage fees often associated with centralized data models.
- Data Freshness: Federated computing facilitates persistent data pipelines, allowing for continuous data updates.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Unlike proprietary cloud solutions, federated computing is not restricted to a single provider, making it suitable for collaborative initiatives involving diverse IT infrastructures.
Additionally, Dr. Dayan will discuss the intersection of privacy-enhancing technologies (such as differential privacy and k-anonymization) and security measures (including end-to-end encryption and Role-Based Access Control - RBAC) as crucial components for building a trustworthy AI ecosystem in healthcare. His insights will be valuable for those interested in implementing AI while protecting patient data and promoting equitable outcomes.
