Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman said healthcare may be the most important use case for artificial intelligence as Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Mayo Clinic launched a partnership to build a healthcare-focused AI model aimed at improving diagnoses, treatment decisions and patient outcomes.
Speaking with CNBC at Microsoft’s Build conference on Tuesday, Suleyman said the collaboration gives Microsoft access to what he described as one of the world’s most valuable longitudinal patient datasets.
“Healthcare is perhaps the most important application of AI,” Suleyman said. “We want to do the best that we can in the world, make all humans healthier and happier and live longer.”
The comments came a day after Microsoft and Mayo Clinic announced a strategic collaboration to develop a frontier AI model designed specifically for healthcare. The model will combine Mayo Clinic’s clinical expertise, de-identified patient data and longitudinal health insights with Microsoft’s AI, cloud and engineering capabilities.
Microsoft-Mayo Partnership
Microsoft said the model is designed to support earlier diagnoses, more personalized treatment decisions and better patient outcomes.
Mayo Clinic President and CEO Dr. Gianrico Farrugia said success would be measured by patient outcomes rather than financial returns. He said Mayo Clinic has spent the past seven years building its digital platform and can already reach roughly 100 million people.
Farrugia said the partnership could expand that reach while helping improve diagnostic efficiency and reduce administrative burdens on healthcare workers.
Suleyman said the technology is being developed for both patients and clinicians. Patients could access AI-powered tools through Microsoft’s Copilot Health services and Mayo Clinic’s digital platforms, while physicians could use the technology to obtain faster and more accurate medical information.
Healthcare AI Race
The partnership comes as healthcare AI adoption accelerates. A West Health-Gallup survey released in April found that 25% of U.S. adults had used an AI tool for health information, with ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot among the most commonly used platforms.
Investment in the sector is also increasing. In May, Anthropic and the Gates Foundation, backed by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates committed $200 million over four years to expand AI tools for healthcare and education, including projects focused on medical research and healthcare access.
Hospitals across the U.S. have also begun deploying AI-powered patient assistants, while Roche Holding AG (OTC:RHHBY) recently expanded its AI infrastructure with NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) to accelerate diagnostics and drug development.
Suleyman said demand for AI continues to grow rapidly and expects adoption to increase further as healthcare organizations deploy AI tools at scale. He added that healthcare could eventually become one of the primary ways people access information through AI.
Disclaimer: This content was produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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