Founding Principles

In its founding principles, ISMAI defines its identity as a society committed to the ethical integration of artificial intelligence in healthcare.

These principles are rooted in clinical experience and the recognition that technological innovation carries moral responsibility. They provide the framework by which ISMAI operates in a rapidly evolving landscape. At their centre lies the conviction that patient care must always remain the guiding priority in the development and use of AI.

ISMAI maintains that oversight by healthcare professionals is a requirement rather than an option. The practice of medicine involves complex judgements that cannot be reduced to data alone. It requires empathy, contextual awareness, and decision-making where outcomes affect human lives. AI can support but never replace these qualities. ISMAI’s role is to ensure that AI functions as a tool that strengthens professional practice rather than substitutes for it.

Patient-centred care is the central principle. Each system, algorithm, and decision must be developed and assessed with patient wellbeing as the measure of success. ISMAI does not endorse innovation at the expense of humanity. It supports innovation that advances care while respecting dignity, rights, and safety.

The commitment to ethical integrity extends to the wider AI ecosystem. ISMAI promotes a culture of accountability where transparency and fairness are established practices. Standards are regarded not only as regulatory requirements but also as expressions of the shared responsibility to use technology responsibly and in a manner that sustains public trust.

International collaboration is another defining principle. Healthcare challenges extend beyond national boundaries and require solutions that do the same. ISMAI works to bring together perspectives from different disciplines, cultures, and industries so that the integration of AI is both ethical and effective.

Education remains central to ISMAI’s mission. Knowledge is essential for the responsible use of AI. Equipping professionals and the public with a clear understanding of its capabilities and limitations ensures that adoption is guided by informed judgement rather than expediency.

These founding principles are expressed through practice. They commit ISMAI to integrity in leadership, accountability in standards, collaboration across borders, and education as a basis for sustainable progress. By adhering to these principles, ISMAI advances a model of AI in healthcare that strengthens rather than diminishes the human relationship at the centre of medicine.