Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing traditional medicine by merging centuries-old healing wisdom with modern technological advances. This integration promises safer, more personalized, effective, and accessible healthcare solutions for people across the globe.
Global Bodies Launch Roadmap to Guide AI Integration
At the AI for Good Global Summit, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) jointly released a technical brief titled Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine. Developed under the Global Initiative on AI for Health, the brief provides a strategic roadmap for responsibly leveraging AI while protecting cultural heritage and data sovereignty.
Traditional Medicine Meets Technological Innovation
Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) is practiced in 170 countries and serves billions of people worldwide. With rising interest in holistic approaches that prioritize prevention and wellness, TCIM is gaining momentum globally. The new brief highlights how countries are applying AI to transform healthcare delivery, drug discovery, and environmental conservation.
For instance, India is pioneering AI-powered diagnostics through Ayurgenomics. Ghana and South Africa use machine learning to identify medicinal plants. Meanwhile, researchers in the Republic of Korea are deploying AI to analyze traditional compounds for treating blood disorders.
Building Ethical, Inclusive AI Systems
As per the WHO press release, the brief stresses the need for high-quality, inclusive data and participatory design to ensure AI tools reflect the diversity and depth of traditional medicine. AI can enhance research and strengthen the evidence base of TCIM practices. Initiatives like India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library and the Virtual Health Library in the Americas are using AI to preserve Indigenous knowledge, promote research collaboration, and prevent biopiracy—the exploitation of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge without consent or compensation.
WIPO Assistant Director-General Edward Kwakwa emphasized, “Intellectual property is a crucial tool for advancing the integration of AI into traditional medicine.” He noted that WIPO’s newly adopted treaty on IP, genetic resources, and traditional knowledge helps local communities and Indigenous Peoples manage their IP rights and policy priorities.
Protecting Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Autonomy
The technical brief calls for urgent measures to uphold Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) and enforce free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) in AI development. It showcases Indigenous-led data governance models from Canada, New Zealand, and Australia and urges governments to legislate frameworks that give Indigenous communities control over how their data is used and monetized.
“AI must not become a new frontier for exploitation,” warned Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems. “We must ensure Indigenous Peoples and local communities are not just protected, but actively shaping the future of AI in traditional medicine.”
Seizing the Opportunity, Addressing the Risks
With the global TCIM market projected to reach nearly USD 600 billion by 2025, AI could dramatically accelerate the impact of holistic healthcare systems. However, the brief cautions that knowledge gaps and regulatory challenges remain.
To bridge these gaps, it recommends creating comprehensive frameworks tailored to TCIM—covering regulation, capacity building, data governance, equity, and knowledge-sharing. These frameworks will help integrate AI safely, ethically, and effectively into traditional medicine.
A Global Call to Action
The technical brief urges all stakeholders—governments, researchers, industry, and communities—to take concrete steps:
- Invest in inclusive AI ecosystems that respect cultural diversity and data sovereignty
- Create national legal and policy frameworks for AI in traditional medicine
- Build digital literacy and capacity among traditional medicine practitioners and local communities
- Establish global standards for ethical AI use, data quality, and interoperability
- Protect and promote traditional knowledge through AI-enabled digital repositories and benefit-sharing models
Honoring the Past, Empowering the Future
By aligning the transformative power of AI with the time-honored wisdom of traditional medicine, the world can create a new, inclusive paradigm of care—one that respects cultural roots, meets modern needs, and ensures a healthier, more equitable future for all.