startAD, Backed by Google.org, Launches First AI Adoption Index for Healthcare

startAD, the Abu Dhabi-based startup accelerator supported by Tamkeen at NYU Abu Dhabi, has announced the launch of its AI Adoption Index. This index was developed through the "AI for Good" initiative, with support from Google.org, and aims to help organizations responsibly and effectively speed up their adoption of AI technologies.

First Index Based on Organizational Insights

The index is built on the opinions and insights of 52 UAE-based organizations. It offers the first practical look, based on the experiences of practitioners and specialists, at the reality of AI adoption within healthcare institutions and the social impact sector, as well as how these technologies are being applied in workplaces.

startAD explained that the growing interest in AI has led many organizations to seek practical ways to turn this interest into real applications that create added value. This involves identifying priority use cases, setting clear governance frameworks, allocating resources efficiently, and implementing solutions according to responsible use principles.

They added that organizations are increasingly focusing on setting clear performance indicators to measure the impact of AI applications, while also ensuring that successful experiments can be scaled up from individual projects to comprehensive institutional adoption.

81% of Healthcare Organizations Identified Use Cases

The index revealed that 81% of the healthcare organizations surveyed have already identified use cases for AI technologies, and 58% have started testing or implementing these solutions in their operational processes.

To further support organizations on their transformation journey, startAD has also launched two practical guides. The first guide helps discover AI use cases and turn initial ideas into testable projects, even without specialized technical expertise. The second guide focuses on evaluating and selecting AI solutions and responsibly managing pilot projects within existing work environments.

Supporting Organizations to Move to Practical Application

Ashwin Joshi, Director of startAD, stated that the "AI for Good" initiative was launched to help organizations with social and developmental goals move from simply being interested in AI to practically applying and benefiting from its technologies.

Anthony Nakash, Google's Executive General Manager for the Middle East and North Africa, emphasized that while AI might seem complex to some, healthcare organizations are fully capable of adopting and benefiting from these technologies. He noted that the project aims to change the common belief that impactful AI use requires significant financial investments or highly advanced technical expertise.

He added that Google.org's support for startAD is part of Google's regional AI Opportunities initiative, which aims to expand access to healthcare services, especially for underserved communities in the UAE.

The "AI for Good" initiative has achieved tangible results so far. It has collaborated with five organizations, conducting 13 specialized workshops to assess their readiness for AI adoption. This effort boosted their overall readiness to adopt these technologies by 43%. The initiative also attracted nearly 200 university students and solution developers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider Middle East and North Africa region.