New Delhi: Noting that artificial intelligence is already becoming an integral part of healthcare, National Medical Commission chairperson Dr Abhijat Sheth on Saturday said the real challenge lies in preparing doctors and healthcare systems to use the technology responsibly and effectively.
Addressing the national conference HealthAIcon 2026 here, Sheth said Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption in healthcare must evolve in an ethical, safe and equitable manner, aligned with clinical realities.
“We are not just adopting AI, we are adopting it at scale across a diverse healthcare system, and that brings both opportunity and responsibility,” he said during his keynote address.
Organised by Medical Dialogues in association with the National Medical Forum, the conference brought together policymakers, clinicians, researchers, innovators, and industry leaders from across the country.
Sheth, who is also president of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, said medical education must adapt to the growing role of AI in clinical practice.
“If we continue to train doctors only within the traditional framework, we risk creating a gap between what is taught and what is practised. AI is already a part of the clinical environment now,” he said.
“Our education system must accept and reflect that reality. And certainly, that gives us more responsibility to work on regulatory issues related to AI,” he added.
Highlighting the evolving role of doctors, Dr Sheth said every doctor in India should be empowered to understand and use AI responsibly.
“This is not about turning a doctor into a technologist. It is about ensuring that every doctor understands what AI can and can’t do, can interpret AI output critically, use AI safely in clinical practice, and maintain independent clinical judgement,” he said.
Dr Sheth also said that with thoughtful leadership and collaboration between healthcare and technology experts, India has the potential to lead the global transformation of AI-driven healthcare in an ethical and patient-centric manner.
The conference also saw the launch of the National AI Doctors Mission, an initiative aimed at promoting AI literacy and future-ready skills among healthcare professionals.
Speaking at the conference, the summit’s chairman Dr Prem Aggarwal said, “The National AI Doctors Mission aims to build awareness, create structured learning pathways, and ensure the responsible and ethical clinical use of AI in healthcare.”
He said, “We are not preparing for the hype around artificial intelligence; we are preparing doctors, researchers, institutions, and policymakers to use AI responsibly. The goal is to create a structured national movement for safe and effective AI adoption in healthcare.”
Dr Aggarwal said the future of healthcare will be shaped not only by doctors and hospitals, but also by how responsibly AI is integrated into the system.
“AI has the power to improve diagnosis, speed up treatment, and bridge the gap between public and private healthcare, but its success depends on trust and ethical implementation,” he said.
“Every dataset, every algorithm, and every innovation must work towards one common mission: making healthcare more compassionate, inclusive, and accessible for every individual, regardless of their background,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of AI for doctors, Dr Sanghamitra Pati, Additional Director General, ICMR said, “AI is not going to replace doctors, but doctors who use AI may replace those who do not. At the same time, technology can never replace the healing touch, empathy, and human connection that define medical care. AI must therefore be used intelligently, ethically, and responsibly in healthcare.”
Dr Pati further said that India should not only become the largest consumer of AI, but also one of the largest creators of AI in healthcare.
“AI has the potential to empower every healthcare professional, improve medical education and research, and ensure better, more cost-effective healthcare delivery across the country.”
