UK Regulatory Science and Innovation Network in AI & Digital Health Technologies

The UK has a unique opportunity to lead the way in the rapidly growing fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital healthcare. To consolidate its position as a global leader in this field, the UK needs to ensure regulation is optimised to accelerate innovation ('pro-innovation') whilst also ensuring these technologies are cost-effective, safe, equitable, and sustainable ('responsible innovation'). Regulatory science brings scientific methodology to support this optimisation process, but most regulators currently lack this expertise 'in house', especially for novel and advanced technologies.

Ensuring regulators strike this balance will be the remit of the UK Regulatory Science and Innovation Network for AI and Digital Health Technologies. The Network will bring together experts working in different sectors to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, safety, fairness, and sustainability of regulation and innovation. It will do so by connecting experts and supporting their ability to work together on pressing scientific questions which will streamline regulatory policy and facilitate a faster translation of these technologies from concept to consumer.

The Network brings together for the first time the UK's leading regulatory partnerships addressing the urgent questions of AI and digital healthcare, and builds on an existing UK community of over 200 experts through the NIHR Incubator for AI & Digital Healthcare focused on Regulatory Science and Responsible Innovation (launched in 2023), and which is supporting this bid. The Network will convene experts to identify and prioritise regulatory science questions, understand existing expertise and where gaps remain, and where scientific opportunities lie for advancing innovation. We will support new research areas and collaborations, facilitate consensus-building and translation of evidence into regulatory policy, and co-create educational resources and training programmes for regulatory professionals.

By adopting a regulatory science approach, the network aims to instil confidence in innovators, regulators, the NHS and patients that innovation and regulatory processes are pro-innovation and pro-patient safety.

The Regulatory Science and Innovation Network in AI & Digital Healthcare will empower innovators to create products that benefit patients and the healthcare system, while also streamlining the process for innovators and businesses. It will be the critical 'innovation optimiser' to unlock the opportunity of AI and digital healthcare for the health and wealth of the UK.