A conversation on the AI future with Check Warner, VC

arlier this year, Humphreys Law attended Europe’s leading AI (artificial intelligence) event, CogX, where we took the pulse of the latest advances in AI and machine learning (ML). We also took the opportunity to get some perspectives from people in various parts of the ecosystem.

For example, we spoke to Check Warner, a leading seed-stage venture capital investor, who is currently an advisor with Seraphim Capital and co-founder of Diversity VC. In our video conversation with her, she talks about AI and the opportunities it enables.

She said, “It’s an amazing time in tech at the moment, where there are so many interesting core technologies converging. A lot of that is around machine learning, and I’m fascinated to see how that’s being applied in different areas.”

One of the areas Check considers a huge opportunity is healthcare, particularly with its potential impact on cancer. She commented, “How very complex computational systems can interact with biology is going to open up a huge new area of drug discovery.”

Getting ready for the use of AI in healthcare, the UK government itself has published an initial code of conduct for data-driven health and care technology. It recognises that we now have some truly remarkable data-driven innovations, apps, clinical decision support tools supported by intelligent algorithms, and widespread adoption of electronic health records. The advancement in AI techniques is being used on this data to develop novel insights, tools to help improve operational efficiency and machine learning driven algorithms, as well as clinical decision support tools to provide better and safer care.

Given this, the guidance says the NHS and central government have strong duties to steward the use of this data and technology responsibly. The initial version of the code is looking to guide the health and care sector to collectively:

• help build a safe ecosystem for digital health and intelligent algorithms
• demonstrate that we have appropriate safeguards
• show evidence of transparency and accountability
• create a competitive advantage for the NHS and UK health and care market
• build partnerships between health and care providers, their patients, service users and staff, industry and academia to ensure that all benefit from the enormous potential of digital innovation to improve lives and grow the economy

The code aims to meet the most important need for each of four key groups of stakeholders:

• patients and citizens will experience improved care through technology
• health and care professionals will be able to deliver better care
• commissioners will commission services that better meet the needs of their population
• innovators will choose the UK as a great place to do business on technology

This is certainly a fascinating time for the technology and the healthcare sector which will increasingly come together to ensure positive and safe outcomes from the use of technology for wider societal benefits. And as Check Warner said, “Any business not using AI or ML in some form needs to be thinking about it.”

For more information on how Humphreys Law is working with growth companies using AI and ML in various different industry verticals, do contact any of the HLaw team.

Humphreys Law