Google has announced it is licensing its AI model for detecting diabetic retinopathy to partners in Thailand and India, where there is a shortage of eye specialists. After nearly a decade of research with Aravind Eye Hospital in India and Rajavithi Hospital in Thailand, Google is now working with healthcare providers and tech partners in these countries to make the AI-enabled model widely available, aiming to improve access to care that can prevent blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy.
Google’s new partners include Forus Health, AuroLab in India, and Perceptra in Thailand. The company is also collaborating with Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health on research to implement the AI system in public hospitals as part of the country’s National Innovation program. The goal is to deliver six million free AI-enabled screenings over the next decade.
As reported by mobihealthnews, with diabetic retinopathy expected to affect millions more people globally by 2030, Google’s AI system could play a critical role in improving early detection and treatment, especially in regions where specialist care is scarce.