AI May Forecast Illness Before It Strikes

A generative AI model called Foresight is being trained on de-identified data from 57 million people in England. Developed by researchers at University College London and King’s College London, the pilot aims to predict future health conditions using a national-scale dataset. The AI draws from patient information including GP visits, hospital admissions, and vaccination records, accessed securely under NHS England’s data privacy protocols.

Foresight is intended to support early intervention by identifying individuals at high risk for events such as hospitalisations or new diagnoses. Researchers hope this tool will bolster the NHS’s emphasis on preventive care. While experts welcomed the AI's potential, some raised concerns about data quality and anonymisation, stressing the importance of maintaining strict NHS oversight. Future versions of the model may incorporate richer clinical data, such as test results and clinician notes, to improve accuracy.