Dr. Mitchell Stotland
Artificial Intelligence is advancing at a pace that few imagined even a year ago. In industry after industry, AI has begun to reshape workflows, accelerate discovery, and expand what is possible. Healthcare is not immune to this shift, it stands at the threshold of an AI-driven transformation that may fundamentally redefine how we diagnose, treat, and deliver care.
But let’s be clear: while AI has made impressive inroads in certain areas of healthcare, such as medical imaging, pathology and operational logistics, we are only beginning to glimpse its broader potential in clinical medicine. We may not yet live in an AI-powered healthcare system, but the pace of innovation suggests we are getting closer, fast. New tools, models, and use cases are emerging almost weekly, and the momentum is unmistakable.
An AI generated image of futuristic healthcare system. by Abraham Augusthy / The Peninsula
This rapid evolution underscores the urgency for healthcare professionals to move from passive observation to active engagement, and for the public to begin asking thoughtful questions about how AI will affect their health, their data, and their trust in the healthcare system.
This is the premise behind the upcoming international conference being held at Sidra Medicine entitled AI & Medicine 2025, a three-day international conference that will explore how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape healthcare. The event brings together clinicians, engineers, data scientists, and thought leaders to discuss how those on the frontlines of patient care can help guide AI’s thoughtful and responsible integration.
Preceding the conference will be a practical, hands-on workshop: “Basics of Machine Learning Implementation for Healthcare“ is designed for healthcare professionals and others seeking to understand how AI systems are built, how they function, and how to begin thinking about incorporating them into clinical workflows.
One of the principal goals of this conference is to spark meaningful collaboration across disciplines. Too often, technological innovation occurs in silos, engineers and computer scientists working in one domain, clinicians and healthcare administrators in another. But real progress will come when those who design the technology and those who deliver care work together to define the problems worth solving, test tools in real-world settings, and ensure that emerging solutions are both technically sound and clinically relevant.
Another important theme of the conference is regional leadership. The GCC is uniquely positioned to become a global contributor to innovation at the intersection of AI and healthcare. With visionary leadership, strong infrastructure, and a growing investment in education and research, the region has all the ingredients necessary to make a significant impact. But this will require coordinated action: strategic investment in talent development, supportive regulatory frameworks, and the cultivation of partnerships that bridge academia, industry, and healthcare delivery systems.
At its core, this transformation holds the promise of better outcomes, faster diagnoses, and more personalized treatment for patients everywhere. Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant concept reserved for the pages of scientific journals or Silicon Valley boardrooms. It is a dynamic, fast-moving field that is already beginning to shape the future of medicine.
The “AI & Medicine 2025” conference is more than a meeting, it is a call to clinicians, engineers, researchers, and citizens to shape the future of healthcare together. Whether by attending, contributing, or simply asking better questions, everyone has a role to play.
The future of healthcare is being written today. And now is the time to engage.
-Dr. Mitchell Stotland – Division Chief & Vice Chair of Department of Surgery at Sidra Medicine .
Dr. Mitchell Stotland is the Division Chief & Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery at Sidra Medicine.
