Karachi: Researchers at Aga Khan University (AKU) are increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Intelligence (DI) to develop innovative solutions for tuberculosis diagnosis, cancer care, maternal and child health, education and public health challenges, as experts stressed the need for ethical and responsible use of emerging technologies in low and middle income countries.
The growing role of AI in healthcare, education and development was highlighted at the AKU Global Research Showcase titled “Harnessing AI and Digital Intelligence for Impact”, organized by the AKU Research Office and attended by researchers, clinicians, students, policymakers, donors and experts from Pakistan and abroad.
The event showcased a wide range of AI enabled projects including AI powered cough analysis for tuberculosis diagnosis, machine learning models for maternal and fetal health, AI assisted cancer diagnostics, digital twins in radiotherapy, AI supported nursing and mathematics learning tools, respiratory disease diagnosis, childhood development research, dementia studies and public health hotline systems.
Speaking at the opening session, AKU President and Vice Chancellor Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin said universities should play a leading role in ensuring responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence.
“At AKU, we are not bystanders in the age of AI. We are innovators working to use this technology for advancing health, education and scholarship while ensuring ethical standards and public trust,” he said.
Delivering the keynote address, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at the University of Michigan Dr Ravi Pendse stressed that AI should strengthen human capabilities rather than replace human judgment and responsibility.
“AI is not a replacement for human judgment, empathy or responsibility. Institutions that lead with a clear strategy and purpose will shape the future of AI instead of merely reacting to it,” he observed.
AKU researchers and experts stressed that while AI offered enormous opportunities for improving healthcare delivery, disease diagnosis and education, strong governance, ethical oversight and data protection mechanisms were essential to prevent misuse and ensure equitable access.
During the event, AKU also presented its first institution wide Digital Innovation Mapping Report, which identified more than 300 digital and AI enabled initiatives across the university’s education, healthcare, research and operational systems.
The report highlighted increasing momentum around AI based innovation at AKU while also emphasizing the need for stronger institutional support, interdisciplinary collaboration and ethical governance frameworks to scale impactful technologies responsibly.
A panel discussion on “AI and Digital Intelligence for Ethical and Impactful Research” brought together experts from AKU, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), who discussed issues including data governance, privacy, algorithmic bias, accountability and translation of AI research into practical solutions.
The experts maintained that universities and research institutions should play a proactive role in developing ethical frameworks to ensure AI technologies remained transparent, socially responsible and beneficial for underserved populations.
AKU Vice Provost Research Prof Salim Virani said responsible use of AI could help institutions address complex healthcare and development challenges with greater precision and effectiveness.
“AI offers tremendous potential to improve quality of life and provide hope to communities if applied responsibly and ethically,” he said, adding that AKU was evolving from a research intensive institution into a research led university focused on translating knowledge into meaningful impact.
Closing the event, AKU Provost and Vice President Academic Dr Tania Bubela said the research presented during the showcase reflected AKU’s strength as a global institution where clinicians, researchers, educators and students were collaborating across disciplines to solve real world challenges affecting communities in Pakistan and other developing regions.
The showcase reinforced the growing global interest in using AI driven research for healthcare, education and development while highlighting the importance of ethical innovation, transparency and responsible use of emerging technologies.
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