An Imperial expert in the use artificial intelligence in healthcare has been appointed to the German Ethics Council.
Aldo Faisal, Professor of AI and Neuroscience at Imperial College London and leading global expert in artificial intelligence (AI) for healthcare, will join the Council of 26 expert members who provide advice for the German government on topics as wide as multiculturalism, gender diversity, death and dying and robotics.
Professor Faisal said: “Artificial intelligence can sound scary, but used in the right way it can be hugely beneficial to individuals’ health while bringing down the costs of treatment. Independent scientists have a critical role in shaping ethical guidelines and regulations to ensure AI is used appropriately in the search for cures and directly in peoples’ medical treatment, and I look forward to taking up this position.”
The Council, established in 2008, serves as an independent advisory body to the German Parliament (Bundestag) and the Federal Government, offering insights on complex ethical questions in science, technology and health.
Research and policy leadership
Professor Faisal’s work includes multiple breakthroughs in applying innovative AI technologies to healthcare. His research spans a number of critical health fields including neurology, critical care, cardiology, and paediatrics.
One of Professor Faisal’s key innovations, the AI Clinician, is currently being trialled in London hospitals, transforming the treatment and management of sepsis in intensive care units. This project has also become the foundation for a clinical AI testbed that quantifies AI's impact on medical decisions in real-world settings.
Professor Faisal’s commitment to ethical AI development has made him a key figure in global regulatory discussions. He has been an advocate for responsible dialogue and regulation, with contributions to influential platforms such as the World Economic Forum in Davos and Chatham House in London. He also leads the UKRI Centres in AI for Healthcare, a pioneering initiative that uniquely partners with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). This collaboration aims to align AI innovation with regulatory frameworks from the outset, ensuring that ethical considerations keep pace with the rapid advancement of AI technology.
AI in healthcare: Putting safety and ethics at the heart of decision-making
The German Ethics Council consists of 26 experts from diverse fields, including science, medicine, theology, philosophy, economics, and law.
Members are appointed for four-year terms by the President of the Bundestag, half recommended by the Bundestag and half by the Federal Government. Professor Faisal’s appointment reflects his distinguished contributions to the intersection of AI, healthcare, and ethics.
Read the full Bundestag announcement.
This article was first published on 21 October by Imperial College London.
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