I’m thrilled to announce an important investment from Jim Breyer in our Artificial Intelligence in Medicine PhD track at Harvard Medical School’s Department of Biomedical Informatics. In an era where philanthropy often focuses on naming buildings, Jim’s vision stands apart—he’s investing in brilliant minds who will shape healthcare’s future. Our program provides students not just with AI expertise, but with hands-on clinical understanding through rotations at Harvard-affiliated hospitals. This unique combination is exactly what we need to develop leaders who can create AI systems that are truly human-centered, that put patients and doctors first. As someone who has spent decades at the intersection of medicine and computation, I know firsthand that technology alone isn’t enough—we need innovators who understand both the algorithms and the human beings they serve. Thanks to Jim’s forward-thinking support, we’re building a program that will cultivate precisely the kind of visionary leaders that patients and healthcare providers are waiting for.
4 replies on “A gift to ensure AI serves patients (and doctors)”
Have your students e mail me at mspeismanmd@americancollegeaim.org to submit an abstract to our evidence based scientific session September 19 and 20 Chicago McCormick place conference is the national meeting of American College of AI & Medicine
I love the idea that this program is focusing on human-centered AI. As we move forward, it’s crucial to ensure that AI systems enhance, rather than complicate, patient care. This seems like an innovative step toward achieving that goal.
I completely agree that AI alone isn’t enough. The combination of technical expertise and real-world clinical experience is a powerful approach for developing AI systems that truly benefit both doctors and patients.
This investment from Jim Breyer is such an important step forward in AI development, especially in healthcare. By pairing technical expertise with real-world clinical experience, the program will surely create leaders who truly understand the human side of medicine.