Dr. Nabila El-Bassel: Healthcare AI Development Must Embrace Community Participation

When I see how AI is developing without patient input, I’m concerned. Unfortunately, when it comes to AI, those most impacted are rarely invited to help shape the technologies deciding their futures. A 2024 scoping review of 10,880 articles describing AI or machine learning healthcare applications found that fewer than 0.2% included any form of community engagement. Over 99% of so-called health “innovations” were created without consulting the people most affected by them. In contrast, traditional health technologies like medical devices often involve patients in the process close to half of the time. Devices like this insulin pump and cardiac monitor must undergo rigorous FDA review, including clinical validation, user testing, and post-market monitoring. The pace of AI may have outstripped regulation—but that’s no excuse. If anything, its scale and reach demand more scrutiny.