AI systems are getting an undeniable foothold in healthcare. From the use in diagnostics and patient data analysis to the use in hospital management, pharmaceutical design, preventive and personalized medicine, AI is transforming the way we organise and deliver healthcare. The use of AI technology is widely expected to lead to better care and lower costs.

However, AI technology in the healthcare domain will also lead to complex challenges and ethical questions with respect to the trustworthiness, reliability, responsibility, explainability, fairness and of AI-based systems. Healthcare as a domain that is very much driven by human expertise and communication, so with the widespread use of AI technology, the domain will require new policies, new governance, redesign of workflows in clinical practice and expansion of medical ethics to cover the ramifications of use of AI. It Is important to prevent AI system scrutiny and create a heightened sense of professional awareness of healthcare workers.

In order to achieve that we have established a Convergence Center of Excellence on AI and Digital Ethics in Healthcare. We aim to strengthen existing regional partnerships in this domain, and build a leading national and international position. The combined expertise from University of Technology Delft (TUD), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) and Erasmus University Medical Center (EMC) provides a unique and valuable foundation, and will lead to new funding opportunities for education, research and innovation in this domain.

Additionally, we would like take full advantage of the WHO designation of the Delft Digital Ethics Center (DDEC) as a WHO collaborating center. The DDEC is perfectly positioned to further collaborate with the WHO on questions regarding digital ethics in healthcare, bringing both relevant research and a strong interdisciplinary network. This interest comes from previous TUD work with the WHO, e.g. input on the global report on AI and Ethics, professional education and joint workshops in the last 5 years. The Convergence AI partnership plays a strong role in establishing this institute, and help capitalize in national and international perspective.

The DDEC participates in the Responsible AI in Healthcare lab with the Erasmus Medical Centre Datahub and SAS. It is also actively involved in the Convergence Center on Responsible AI in Healthcare, which connects researchers from all disciplines at TU Delft, Erasmus University, and the Erasmus Medical Center on the topic. Stefan Buijsman, managing director of the DDEC, leads the Convergence Center together with the other scientific directors: Michel van Genderen of the Erasmus MC and Evert Stamhuis of the Erasmus University

Exciting news for 2025 is that the Center for Responsible AI in Healthcare is organising the first world conference on Responsible AI in Health Care. The conference clearly maps how the introduction of AI in medicine unfolds, which aspects of the health care systems will be impacted most, and how this impact will unfold. First and foremost, it intends to discuss in depth, the normative question how to shape this transition in a responsible way.

Please join us to bring the most important voices together to achieve responsible AI for healthcare! From Wednesday the 10th until Friday the 12th of September 2025 the conference ‘Responsible AI in Health Care’ will take place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

For more information, please contact: Leontien de Roode: l.deroode@tudelft.nl

Stefan Buijsman, managing director of the DDEC

Michel van Genderen of the Erasmus MC, Scientific director

Evert Stamhuis of the Erasmus University, Scientific director