A new report from the UAE-UK Business Council outlines how the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates can expand cooperation in artificial intelligence and healthcare to accelerate innovation in precision medicine and genomics.

The white paper, “Opportunities for UK-UAE Collaboration in AI in Healthcare,” states that closer coordination between policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry could unlock the potential of AI by enhancing data sharing and harmonizing regulatory approaches.

Gerard Hanratty, Head of Health and Life Sciences at UK law firm Browne Jacobson, contributed to the report and identified major obstacles to AI adoption, including fragmented access to anonymized patient data, inconsistent data standards and the absence of strong cross-border data-sharing frameworks.

“Data holds the key to addressing many of the challenges faced by state-based healthcare systems like the NHS… but only if harnessed in the right way,” Hanratty said. He added that stronger UK data strategies and agile regulatory frameworks are crucial to ensuring AI can be effectively integrated into healthcare systems as technology advances.

The report sets out seven recommendations for policymakers. These include establishing a bilateral data adequacy framework to support AI-driven healthcare innovation and launching knowledge-sharing initiatives to enhance interoperability, develop skills, and increase public understanding of AI in healthcare.

Additional proposals call for joint work on global standards for responsible AI, the development of “twinning” digital health testbeds, and a mentorship network that connects start-ups with AI, genomics, and healthcare specialists in both countries.

“The transformative impact of AI will arguably be felt more in the healthcare sector than any other industry,” said Bradley Jones, Executive Director of the UAE-UK Business Council. He noted that combining the UK’s regulatory and research strengths with the UAE’s innovation-focused health ecosystem could support an ambitious new partnership in AI-driven healthcare.