🎙️ Ep 2: AI is table stakes. What happens next?
And what's it got to do with Autonomous vehicles?
83% of clinicians adopted AI before there was governance for it.
Patients are turning up with their own AI. Scribes are commodities. Big tech is coming for health. And US$7.4B is flowing back into digital health.
It’s safe to say AI is well and truly now table stakes.
🍩 For Episode 2 of The WTH Wrap, I’m joined by two OG WTHers and longtime favourites:
Dr Simon Kos, Global Chief Medical Officer at Heidi & Ex- Global CMO at Microsoft
and
Dr Janice Tan, GP and General Manager of Clinical Innovation at Bupa
… to figure out what happens now?
We dive into the latest headlines in AI in health, and dig behind it into what it means any why it matters
The fortnight’s headlines:
🤖 83% of clinicians surveyed by Heidi adopted AI ahead of governance.
🩺 OpenAI launched Health in ChatGPT, as people ask hundreds of millions of health questions every week.
🏥 OpenAI + Sheba Medical Centre signals a move deeper into healthcare itself. Whilst recent reviews on Palantir in hospitals claim AI effects are unclear.
🔗 Bupa continues moving from insurer towards health company.
💰 US digital health funding hit $7.4B, but almost 45% went to just 19 mega-rounds.
We dig into:
If AI scribes are table stakes, what wins clinicians’ time and attention next?
What happens when the patient brings their own AI into the consult?
Will AI make doctors (and care) better - while making it harder to train the next generation?
What changes when AI agents are everywhere?
And if every startup “has AI”, where’s the actual moat?
Simon predicts healthcare will become voice-by-default within two years. Janice wants AI to make consultations deeper, not shorter. And both have some fascinating ideas about what happens when we fast-forward to 2035.
For the builders and investors, we dig into what the real game has become: as scribes commoditise, the fight moves to who owns eyeballs, time, trust and attention - because attention and distribution give you permission to build the next layer.
And for doctors: AI can free experienced clinicians to spend more time on judgement, empathy and pattern recognition - but how does the next generation develop those skills if AI has been there from day one? \And what will specialties become?
We attempt to answer all of the above.
Plus: consumer vs clinical-grade AI, regulation and trust, Bupa’s evolving model, digital health funding, genomics, companies to watch and - self-driving cars?
Less hype. More signal.
📺 Youtube | 🍏 Apple | 🎧 Spotify
Despite recording this one whilst recovering from some neck procedures (probably stupid - wouldn’t recommend), these incredible folk managed to bring me back to life and as always, broaden my mind with their thoughtful insights - hope you find it interesting too!
Brought to you with 💚 Tenmile ~ the Australian health & life sciences venture fund, building bold ventures for better health.
Alongside the amazing team at DayOne.
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💌 emily@whatthehealth.io
Alrighty folks - I’m trying to take some time “offline” on the Gold Coast this week.
But catch you all when I’m back (and look forward to your honest feedback)
👋 Emily
& Team WTH
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