AI in Healthcare: What Can It Do, and Should We Trust It?

About the Event

AI is increasingly being used to provide information, guidance and support across healthcare. In this interactive session, we will look beyond the headlines to explore what AI actually is (and is not), where it may be useful, and where its limitations matter. We will use real-world and research examples, with a particular focus on conversational AI for mental health and emotional support, alongside wider applications such as physical health support, voice agents, digital inclusion, and helping people navigate health services.

The session will also consider what we currently know - and do not yet know - from healthcare research. Together, we will discuss potential benefits and risks, including privacy, safety, ethics, and bias in both human and AI decision-making. This is a research café rather than a formal lecture, so there will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions, share perspectives, and discuss what responsible use of AI in health and care could look like.

What You Will Learn

• What AI is, what it is not, and how conversational and generative AI can be used in healthcare
• Examples of how AI is being researched and used for mental health, emotional support, physical health, and digital inclusion
• What current research can - and cannot - tell us about the usefulness, effectiveness, and limitations of AI in healthcare
• Key ethical and practical issues, including privacy, safety, human and AI bias, and responsible use

What to Expect

• An informal, facilitated conversation with opportunities to ask questions throughout
• Accessible real-world and research examples of AI in healthcare
• Discussion of the opportunities, limitations, ethical questions, and uncertainties around AI
• Time to share your own experiences and questions, plus pointers to useful resources for learning more

Who Should Attend

Healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, community partners, patients and members of the public, and anyone curious about AI in healthcare. No previous knowledge of AI is needed.

Key Takeaways

By the end of the session, you will leave with:

• A clearer understanding of what AI can and cannot currently do in healthcare
• Examples of where conversational AI and voice-based technologies may support people, services, and research
• A balanced understanding of the potential benefits, limitations, risks, and unanswered questions surrounding AI in healthcare
• Practical questions to consider when deciding whether and how AI should be used responsibly in healthcare or research