30/06/2026
"We innovate because tomorrow can be better than today."
Opening day two of our 2nd Global Annual AI Conference, Professor Alastair Denniston, Chair of the National Commission on the Regulation of AI in Healthcare at the University of Birmingham, delivered a thought-provoking keynote on the future of AI regulation in healthcare.
His central message was clear: AI has huge potential to improve patient care, but innovation will only succeed if healthcare systems are ready to adopt it safely and effectively. This echoes the points made by our President Dr Stephen Harden and Dr Penny Dash in yesterday's opening keynote.
Drawing a compelling parallel with the early days of electricity, Professor Denniston highlighted how transformative technologies often generate both excitement and public concern. Just as fragmented rules around electricity eventually evolved into coordinated standards that enabled widespread, trusted adoption, AI is now approaching a similar turning point.
He emphasised that regulation is not about slowing innovation, it's about creating the conditions for safe, trusted adoption. AI regulation should be patient-centred, practitioner-enabling, safe, fast and trusted. "Regulation is only one tool in the toolbox, so use it wisely." Culture, education, and technology readiness are equally important.
Professor Denniston explained that the conversation is now shifting beyond whether we should use AI in healthcare to how we use it responsibly. That means maintaining clear human accountability, understanding and managing risks, and ensuring healthcare organisations are equipped to implement AI safely and effectively.
As the National Commission prepares to publish its final recommendations later this year, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: The future of AI in healthcare will depend not only on the technology itself, but on creating the right regulatory, organisational and cultural foundations to deliver better outcomes for patients.
