AI risks, national strategies
Policymakers warn AI can widen existing inequities—employers are being urged to monitor AI’s impact on pay and opportunities as automation threatens to widen the gender pay gap—while India is pushing to localize AI for public health but faces shortfalls in workforce, data infrastructure, and regulation. Health leaders are convening at Health Summit Asia 2026—over 30 global figures—to wrestle with these exact tensions between innovation and equity. (frostmagazine.com, indianexpress.com, nabalunews.com)
UK employers with 250+ staff must publish equality action plans from 6 April 2026 (voluntary for the first year) and make them mandatory from April 2027, a guide from Global 50/50 warns these plans need AI-specific monitoring to avoid widening pay gaps (Dr Lynsey Robinson; Penny East quoted). (frostmagazine.com) The ILO’s March 2026 brief found 29% of female‑dominated occupations are exposed to generative AI versus 16% for male‑dominated occupations, and 16% of female‑dominated roles sit in the highest automation‑risk category compared with 3% for men. (ilo.org) New research cited by legal analysts reports women use AI about 25% less than men, a usage gap that analysts say threatens promotion and pay equity, while a 2026 Payscale report recorded the gender pay ratio worsening to roughly $0.82 for every $1 earned by men. (lexology.com) AIIMS director M. Srinivas described AIIMS Delhi’s role as a Centre of Excellence for AI in Health and highlighted India‑specific tools such as MadhuNetrAI for diabetic retinopathy (designed for low‑cost handheld cameras) and the Arogya Aarohan smartphone app for oral‑cancer risk assessment. (indianexpress.com) Analysts warn India could face an AI talent shortfall of more than 1 million skilled professionals by 2027, even as AIIMS and others invest in capacity (AIIMS reported investments and partnerships to scale frugal AI); regulators continue to debate a sectoral, risk‑based governance model. (business-standard.com) Health Summit Asia 2026 will run 20–22 May 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, with confirmed speakers including Professor Mark Britnell and Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and agenda tracks covering AI‑driven diagnostics, smart hospitals, and wellness architecture. (prnewswire.com)
