VARANASI, Feb. 15 -- Anupriya Patel, Union minister of state for health and family welfare, on Sunday said while artificial intelligence (AI) is a necessity today but what is needed is safety, responsibility and ethics for its use in healthcare.

She further said AI is central to India's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and the goal of achieving universal health coverage. Emphasising that India carries nearly 20% of the global disease burden, she remarked that the use of AI will ensure accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for every citizen.

Patel was addressing a gathering of professors and students after inaugurating a 'National Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Health Care and Education (NCAIHC-2026)' at the KN Udupa Audito...