WHO/Europe and the Government of Portugal are co-organizing a high-level global conference on artificial intelligence (AI) in health, on July 15 and 16, 2026.
The event will bring together high-level government officials, regulators, clinicians, representatives of civil society, multilateral organizations, academics, and industry from around the world.
The conference aims to translate political commitment into coordinated, practical, and equity-oriented actions in the use of AI in health and care. It will assess what is already working, identify areas where tangible value is observed, and ensure that countries receive support to scale up successful approaches while avoiding common implementation failures.
The discussions are designed to be relevant and adaptable to countries with different levels of digital maturity and healthcare system capacity. Special attention will be given to the following points:
Governance and strategic leadership for AI in healthcare;
Legal, ethical and accountability frameworks, including liability and risk management;
Data governance, digital infrastructure, and interoperability as prerequisites for reliable AI;
Workforce preparation, institutional capacity, and sustainable implementation models; and
Strategies and structures for responsible investment in AI.
The conference is anchored in the WHO's global and regional strategic priorities. The Fourteenth General Programme of Work 2025-2028 highlights the centrality of resilient and data-driven health systems, while the Second European Programme of Work 2026-2030 recognizes that digital transformation, including the responsible adoption of AI, must be grounded in equity, human rights, interoperability and institutional capacity.
⚲ Unicorn Stage
Unicorn Factory Lisboa - Beato Innovation District
Avenida Infante Dom Henrique nr.141 - 145, 1950-406 Lisboa
Participation is by invitation only, but some select sessions will be available via live stream.