Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how researchers access, curate, analyse and apply health data insights. From molecular discovery through to generating real-world evidence that can inform healthcare decisions and policy.
At Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), AI is not a new frontier. We have long recognised that AI holds enormous promise across the healthcare sector and as an increasingly important tool for unlocking the true value of health data safely and responsibly.
Today, we are publishing our AI Strategy to align the pioneering work already flourishing across our community and to act as a key driver of our mission, to transform lives through health data. The strategy sets out how we will enable safe, equitable and trustworthy AI that supports research and improves health outcomes.
Why this strategy now?
The pace of AI innovation has accelerated, emerging as a transformative force in health and biomedical discovery. The UK policy landscape is moving just as quickly. The Government’s AI Opportunity Action Plan, the AI for Science strategy, and UKRI’s AI framework all highlight the growing role of AI in scientific discovery and public benefit. With AI also featuring prominently in the NHS 10-year plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan, harnessing AI capability across the UK has never been more in the spotlight.
AI models are only as good as the data they are trained on
In this strategy, we define AI as emerging methods of scientific research that rely on data-intensive machine learning systems, particularly deep neural networks. These models thrive on high-quality, well-linked, and representative data. Data is the feedstock of AI, and it needs to meet the highest standards. Without this foundation, we risk developing tools that don’t work in the real world or, worse, exacerbate existing health inequalities.
This is where HDR UK plays a unique role. By connecting the dots across national data assets, Trusted Research Environments (TREs), researchers, NHS and industry – we help create the conditions where AI can be developed and used safely and effectively to benefit all.
Building trust and delivering real benefits
Trust will be crucial for the responsible use of AI in health research. For AI to succeed, the public must be confident that health data is being used responsibly, securely and in ways that deliver meaningful benefits. That means ensuring transparency, embedding strong ethical frameworks, and involving patients and the public in how AI systems are developed and used.
We firmly believe that the public should be engaged partners. This is why our Public Advisory Board (PAB) has been a driving force in co-creating this strategy from the ground up. They have challenged and refined our priorities to ensure that we remain focused on what matters most: delivering safe, equitable and tangible benefits for patients.
Our four strategic priorities
To accelerate the translation of AI innovation into improved health outcomes, the strategy focuses on four key priorities:
- Scale AI learnings across data infrastructures – ensuring national TREs and data assets are well curated, unbiased and robustly governed to be ready and safe for AI use.
- Build holistic AI research signature projects – demonstrating AI’s value through scalable proof-of-concept projects in real-world health and research settings.
- Be transparent and demonstrate trustworthy AI – embedding communication, ethics, and public involvement to ensure responsible AI deployment.
- Align AI communities of practice – reducing duplication by convening focused groups to solve specific problems, share practical methods and produce actionable outputs across NHS, academia and industry.
Looking ahead
AI has the potential to transform how we understand disease, develop treatments and improve patient care. Realising that potential will depend on strong data foundations, responsible governance and collaboration across the health data ecosystem.
Read the full strategy here to learn more about our approach and the work ahead
