The governance of artificial intelligence – CCAIM Professor Mihaela van der Schaar makes recommendations to government

Over the course of several months, the Science and Technology Committee came together to hear evidence on the rapid advancement of AI, its influence on various aspects of our lives, and to address concerns regarding its governance and ethical considerations. To examine the benefits, risks, and potential social impacts, the committee, amongst other things, interviewed a number of experts as witnesses. Their professional opinion was sought to inform the final recommendations and report that has now been published on 31 August.

Among these renowned experts, CCAIM director Prof Mihaela van der Schaar was interviewed on 8 March 2023. She was able to present her experience and opinion on opportunities, challenges, and limitations of AI, especially for healthcare. With her previous involvement in the Topol review as co-chair of the committee, Mihaela was once again called upon by the government for her unique expertise.

“In my opinion, too much is focused on treating disease rather than using AI to prevent disease, to make sure that we identify early disease and, if a patient develops a particular disease, gets the right intervention at the right time in the right location and according to their wishes.”

In her statements, Mihaela expressed the potential for AI in healthcare, treatment and prevention, as well its importance in other field. Her main focus however, was to reinforce the crucial connection any AI progress has to have with reality.

” I see reality-centric AI as AI that can operate effectively, accountably and reliably in the real world and which focuses on problems that are human-centric and messy. […] This is, I would say, the core of AI for healthcare, AI for education and AI for business.”

Prof Mihaela van der Schaar’s involvement shows, once again, how the van der Schaar Lab and CCAIM are impacting not only healthcare and practising clinicians, but also influence policy making and governance in the fields of AI and ML for healthcare and beyond – one of CCAIM’s essential pillars.

Read the full report here.

Read our case for reality-centric AI here.

Read all about the aims of CCAIM here.