WHO, ITU, and WIPO Unveil Global Report on AI's Role in Traditional Medicine

VMPL
Geneva [Switzerland], July 12: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is ushering in a transformative era for traditional medicine, where centuries-old healing systems are being enhanced by cutting-edge technologies to deliver safer, more personalized, effective, and accessible care.
At the AI for Good Global Summit, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) launched a new technical brief titled Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine. Released under the Global Initiative on AI for Health, the brief outlines a roadmap to harness AI's potential responsibly while safeguarding cultural heritage and data sovereignty.
A New Era for Traditional Medicine. Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) is practiced in 170 countries and used by billions of people. Its growing global popularity is driven by increasing interest in holistic approaches that emphasize prevention, health promotion, and rehabilitation.
The new brief highlights how AI is being used in many countries to unlock new frontiers in personalized care, drug discovery, and biodiversity conservation. Examples include AI-powered diagnostics in Ayurgenomics in India, machine learning models identifying medicinal plants in Ghana and South Africa, and the use of AI to analyze traditional medicine compounds for treating blood disorders in the Republic of Korea.
India's Ayurgenomics project represents a ground breaking intersection of Ayurveda and genomics. It aims to understand the genetic basis of Ayurvedic principles and practices by integrating genomic data with Ayurvedic concepts. This enables identification of predictive markers for diseases, facilitating prevention and personalized health recommendations. Machine learning algorithms are being developed to analyze Ayurvedic constitution types.
"Our Global Initiative on AI for Health aims to help all countries benefit from AI solutions and ensure that they are safe, effective, and ethical," said Seizo Onoe, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. "This partnership of ITU, WHO and WIPO brings together the essential expertise."
Data-Driven Innovation with Ethical Roots.The report emphasizes the importance of good-quality, inclusive data and participatory design to ensure AI systems reflect the diversity and complexity of traditional medicine. AI can strengthen the evidence and research base for TCIM, as seen in initiatives like India's Traditional Knowledge Digital Library and the Virtual Health Library in the Americas. These platforms use AI to preserve Indigenous knowledge, foster collaboration, and prevent biopiracy--unauthorized extraction of biological resources or traditional knowledge without fair compensation.
"Intellectual property is an important tool to accelerate the integration of AI into traditional medicine," said WIPO Assistant Director-General Edward Kwakwa. "Our work, including the WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge, supports stakeholders in managing IP to achieve policy goals--especially for Indigenous Peoples and local communities."
Guarding Data Sovereignty, Empowering Communities. The brief calls for urgent action to uphold Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) and ensure AI development adheres to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) principles. It showcases community-led data governance models from Canada, New Zealand, and Australia and urges governments to adopt legislation that empowers Indigenous Peoples to control and benefit from their data.
"AI must not become a new frontier for exploitation," said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems. "We must ensure Indigenous Peoples and local communities are not only protected but are active partners in shaping the future of AI in traditional medicine."
A Global Call to Action. With the global TCIM market projected to reach nearly US$600 billion in 2025, AI applications could further accelerate the impact of TCIM and holistic healthcare. While opportunities abound, significant knowledge gaps and risks remain.
The brief calls for the development of holistic frameworks tailored to TCIM in areas such as regulation, capacity building, data governance, and equitable technology integration. These efforts are essential to ensure that the use of AI in traditional medicine is ethical, evidence-based, and inclusive.
The new technical brief calls on all stakeholders to:
* Invest in inclusive AI ecosystems that respect cultural diversity and Indigenous Data Sovereignty
* Develop national policies and legal frameworks that address AI applications in traditional medicine
* Build digital literacy and capacity among traditional medicine practitioners and communities
* Establish global standards for data quality, interoperability, and ethical AI use
* Safeguard traditional knowledge through AI-powered digital repositories and benefit-sharing models
By aligning the power of AI with the wisdom of traditional medicine, a new paradigm of care can emerge--one that honors the past, empowers the present, and shapes a healthier, more equitable future for all.
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