On May 20th, Dirk had the pleasure of attending the very first National AI in Healthcare Conference in Amsterdam — and what an inspiring day it was. Curious about what the day had to offer? Read about Dirk’s experience below!
‘The morning opened with a series of thought-provoking plenary talks that each, in their own way, underscored the growing importance of AI in shaping the future of healthcare. Diederik Gommers set the tone with a compelling reflection on the looming “healthcare infarct” and the urgent need to keep care both humane and accessible. Following him, Bart Scheerder shared how the University Medical Center Groningen is preparing its entire organization to be “AI ready,” using a structured approach grounded in a generative AI framework.
Then Bram van Ginneken took the stage and painted a striking picture of the technological tipping point we’re approaching. He argued that in the coming years, we will see AI systems that not only match but surpass human capabilities in seeing, reading, and writing — driven by the exponential growth in computing power. The plenary session concluded with Inge Overing, who offered a clear and insightful overview of the legal challenges that come with integrating AI into healthcare systems.
In the afternoon, I joined three interactive breakout sessions that challenged me to think critically about how we can move from promising AI concepts to real-world applications. These sessions sparked valuable reflections on the practicalities of implementation, scalability, and collaboration.
Beyond the rich content, the conference was also a fantastic opportunity to connect with professionals from across disciplines. One message resonated throughout the day: the development and implementation of AI in healthcare can no longer be approached from a single disciplinary angle. Multidisciplinary collaboration is not just beneficial — it’s essential. Only by working together can we truly make meaningful progress.’
