On September 13, 2024, Beijing hosted the Digital Medical and Artificial Intelligence Innovation Forum, a pivotal segment of the 2024 Capital International Medical Congress. Organized by China Health Television (CHTV) and supported by the Chinese Hospital Association, the forum was a key feature of the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), a platform aimed at promoting openness, fostering cooperation, and driving innovation in China.
Mao Qun’an, Vice President of the Chinese Hospital Association, highlighted the rapid integration of AI and information technologies into China’s healthcare system. He emphasized that these developments are accelerating infrastructure construction and expanding smart healthcare applications, resulting in a shift toward data-driven decision-making in the medical sector.
Zhao Gang, Director-General of the Global Innovation Center and a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, discussed AI’s significant role in advancing medical research and drug development. He stressed the importance of strengthening national scientific and technological initiatives and accelerating the digital economy to boost AI development, particularly in the healthcare sector.
The forum also featured insights from esteemed academicians:
- Cheng Heping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor at Peking University, discussed how AI and big data are transforming biomedical research.
- Zhang Xu, an academician and director of the Urology Department at the PLA General Hospital, highlighted advancements in remote and robotic surgeries, predicting that such technologies will soon play a critical role in providing medical care to remote areas, disaster zones, and even space stations.
- Deng Zixin, an academician at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, explored the potential of synthetic biology to revolutionize the health, environment, and energy sectors through its integration with AI.
Industry leaders from Tencent and Alibaba presented AI-driven innovations in medical diagnostics, highlighting breakthroughs in cancer screening, chronic disease detection, and large medical models. These advancements are paving the way for more accurate, low-cost medical assessments.
The forum concluded with a roundtable discussion, during which experts from various fields addressed the current status and future challenges of medical AI and digital medicine, underscoring the transformative potential of these technologies in reshaping the healthcare industry.
The Digital Medical and Artificial Intelligence Innovation Forum exemplifies China’s commitment to integrating cutting-edge technologies into healthcare, aiming to enhance patient outcomes and drive the evolution of medical services.
