WHO and Portugal to host global AI health conference
The conference aims to help countries scale successful AI health approaches.
WHO/Europe and the Government of Portugal will co-host a global high-level conference on AI in health on 15 and 16 July 2026 in Lisbon.
The event will bring together senior government officials, regulators, clinicians, civil society, multilateral organisations, academics and industry representatives.
The conference aims to turn political commitment to AI in health into coordinated, practical and equity-oriented action.
Discussions will focus on where AI is already delivering value in health and care, how successful approaches can be scaled, and how countries can avoid common implementation failures.
Key themes include governance and strategic leadership, legal and ethical frameworks, accountability, liability, risk management, data governance, digital infrastructure and interoperability.
Participants will also examine workforce preparedness, institutional capacity, sustainable implementation models and responsible AI investment.
WHO said the discussions are designed to support countries at different levels of digital maturity and health-system capacity.
The conference is anchored in WHO’s global and regional priorities, including the need for resilient, data-driven health systems and responsible AI adoption grounded in equity, human rights, interoperability and institutional capacity.
Why does it matter?
AI in health can support diagnostics, service delivery, system planning and patient care, but unsafe or poorly governed deployment can create risks around bias, liability, privacy, interoperability and accountability. WHO/Portugal conference matters because it focuses on implementation rather than principles alone. Its agenda highlights the practical conditions countries need before scaling AI in health: strong governance, usable data infrastructure, prepared workforces, clear legal frameworks and sustainable investment.