WHO Partners with Delft University’s Digital Ethics Centre to Advance Ethical AI in Healthcare

AI has emerged as a transformative force in healthcare, with the potential to revolutionize disease detection, optimize treatment, and enhance patient care.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially designated the Digital Ethics Centre at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands as a WHO Collaborating Centre on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Health Governance. This strategic partnership reinforces WHO’s commitment to ensuring AI-driven healthcare solutions are developed and implemented ethically, safely, and equitably across global health systems.

AI has emerged as a transformative force in healthcare, with the potential to revolutionize disease detection, optimize treatment, and enhance patient care. However, ensuring that AI technologies are deployed responsibly requires collaboration among stakeholders dedicated to robust governance, ethical safeguards, and evidence-based policymaking.

Strengthening Ethical AI Governance in Global Health

The designation of the Digital Ethics Centre at Delft University acknowledges its pioneering work in responsible innovation and integrating ethical values into the design and deployment of digital health technologies. For over two decades, the Centre has played a pivotal role in advancing digital ethics research, particularly in operationalizing ethical principles into real-world AI applications.

“This collaboration strengthens our ability to support Member States in navigating the opportunities and challenges of AI in healthcare,” stated Dr. David Novillo-Ortiz, Regional Adviser and Unit Head for Data, Evidence, and Digital Health at WHO’s Regional Office for Europe. “By ensuring AI serves public health responsibly, we can foster trust, transparency, and innovation in digital health.”

The new Collaborating Centre will contribute significantly to WHO’s mission by:

• Conducting research on priority topics related to AI governance and ethical implementation.
• Providing expert insights for WHO’s guidance development and policymaking efforts.
• Organizing international consultations, workshops, and training programs to build global capacity in ethical AI.
• Advocating for evidence-driven approaches to AI integration in healthcare systems.

A Hub for AI Ethics Research and Implementation

The Responsible and Ethical AI for Healthcare Lab, a collaborative initiative between Delft University of Technology and its global partners, will play a crucial role in addressing the challenges of implementing WHO guidelines in clinical settings. Through this initiative, researchers will examine how AI tools can be ethically integrated into healthcare workflows while minimizing risks related to bias, data privacy, and decision-making transparency.

“The fruit of two decades of research in digital ethics and responsible innovation, the Delft Digital Ethics Centre is one of the frontrunners in translating ethical principles into actionable design requirements for AI technologies,” said Professor Jeroen van den Hoven, Scientific Director at Delft Digital Ethics Centre. “We look forward to contributing our expertise to the global health community and ensuring AI in healthcare remains a force for good.”

A Global Commitment to Ethical AI in Health

WHO’s commitment to responsible AI governance underscores the organization’s broader vision of harnessing digital transformation for public health benefits. Through this collaboration, WHO aims to equip policymakers, healthcare professionals, and technologists with the knowledge and tools needed to make AI-driven healthcare both effective and ethically sound.

“AI is poised to transform health systems, but its benefits must be accessible to all in a way that is ethical, safe, and equitable,” emphasized Dr. Alain Labrique, Director of Digital Health and Innovation at WHO. “Strong technical and academic partnerships like this one are essential to navigating the rapidly evolving AI landscape.”

With this newly established WHO Collaborating Centre on AI for Health Governance, the global health community takes a crucial step forward in ensuring that AI serves humanity with fairness, responsibility, and integrity.