IIT Madras Robert Bosch Centre For Data Science & AI Looks To Help Healthcare Sector In India Adopt AI

The Fifth AI/ML Conclave on Healthcare occurred on August 17, 2023, organized by RBCDSAI at IIT Madras in collaboration with CeRAI and IBSE. The event aimed to bring together participants from clinical institutions, startups, and industries across India for sharing ongoing healthcare research and promoting collaboration. It featured panel discussions on healthcare AI startups and ethical AI in India, along with student research posters and presentations from startups and industries.

RBCDSAI, a distinguished centre for Data Science and AI at IIT Madras, is actively involved in crafting AI tools and technologies for the healthcare sector. During the inaugural session of the Conclave, Mr Ashok Venkitaraman, Director of the Cancer Science Institute in Singapore, expressed that Data Science is instigating a healthcare revolution that is on the horizon. The IBSE initiative at IIT Madras, established in 2014, has grown into a thriving research ecosystem under Mr Venkitaraman's leadership, poised to lead India's revolutionary advancements.

The RBCDSAI faculty will collaborate with clinical institutions, startups, and industries to create AI implementation guidelines, ensuring these technologies are understandable, reliable, fair, and responsible in the Indian context. Ms. Shinjini Bhatnagar, a Distinguished Professor at THSTI, highlighted the importance of health and data scientists collaborating to create effective AI solutions in healthcare. The integration of AI and data science is driving growth across industries, including healthcare, from research to post-market activities.

The Conclave organized by RBCDSAI at IIT Madras aimed to introduce the industry to the potential of AI and its applications in healthcare. The event emphasized promoting AI integration and collaboration between researchers, faculty, and industry in order to enhance the AI ecosystem. Professors Ravindran and Sinha highlighted the importance of such gatherings for advancing AI for societal benefit.

The Conclave explored how AI can enhance various aspects of healthcare business operations, featuring sessions on Healthcare AI startups and Responsible AI implementation. The event had around 20 speakers and attracted over 200 participants, with a majority from the industry sector.