Executives forecast AI’s place in healthcare in 2025, part two

When asked by MobiHealthNews how they see AI’s place in the sector changing in 2025, executives explained how the focus of AI will shift from what it can do to what it does, and the role the technology can play in extending current provider capacity via clinical decision support, ambient charting, inbox management and streamlining care operations.

Some leaders said AI will revolutionize how businesses operate and assist with back office and administrative tasks. It will also help make accessing healthcare and benefits more straightforward and intuitive. Many also expect to see increased use of AI for diagnostics, personalized treatment plans and drug discovery.

Amit Khanna, senior vice president and general manager of health at Salesforce

In the near future, AI will revolutionize the way businesses operate, with customers increasingly turning to AI for back office and administrative tasks. Compliance teams are also recognizing the benefits of AI and are beginning to relax regulations, starting with non-clinical use cases. Additionally, AI technology is transitioning from text-based to more voice-based assistive channels, making it more accessible and user-friendly.

AI is no longer just an experiment; it is becoming mainstream as customers adopt it for production use cases, leading to improved efficiencies across various industries. However, the healthcare sector is expected to experience the most significant impact from AI. With a shortage of skilled professionals in the healthcare industry, AI will help bridge the gap by providing additional workforce without increasing the cost of care. This will ultimately lead to better outcomes and improved patient care.

Zachary Clark, global general manager of Uber Health

In 2025, I believe AI will be most impactful by helping to make accessing healthcare and benefits easier and more intuitive. Key processes such as appointment scheduling and personalizing treatment plans will become significantly streamlined and enhanced. While AI will undoubtedly continue to have greater potential beyond this, we must keep in mind that, in the midst of focusing on those longer-term potential bets, we don’t overlook the opportunity to drive meaningful change and impact now. 

Dr. Peter Bonis, chief medical officer of Wolters Kluwer Health

2025 is likely to set the stage for change, while actual changes next year will likely be incremental. Implementation of new federal and agency policies will take time. Advancements in AI applications will continue to be constrained by workflow, competing priorities and economic considerations driving uptake. The greatest progress on scale will likely continue to be in AI applications that drive revenue optimization. Although, some technologies, like ambient, will make progress due to their immediate promise to streamline workflow and documentation pain points.

Don Woodlock, head of global healthcare solutions at InterSystems

We will see increased use of AI for diagnostics, personalized treatment plans and drug discovery, leading to both exciting breakthroughs and new ethical dilemmas.

AI will become even more integrated into healthcare, taking on increasingly sophisticated tasks. Initial successes in automating administrative tasks and call center interactions will encourage wider experimentation with AI for clinical decision-making. As more data is integrated, we can expect unique medical discoveries and personalized patient care to emerge.

Elliott Green, CEO and cofounder of Dandelion Health

In 2025, two specific topics will be at the top of the mind for AI in healthcare. First, the pressing need for AI validation and related best practice approaches must be fleshed out within the next year. Without this, trust and understanding of AI won’t improve, and, in turn, concerns related to bias and efficacy of AI will hold back broader adoption. 

Also, with a new administration at the helm, it remains to be seen how AI regulation will be approached. Clarity on AI regulations in healthcare from our new administration – including best practice approaches to addressing potential bias in the data being used to train and build AI algorithms – will also be mission-critical to safeguarding AI and as part of broader efforts to build transparency and trust in the use of AI in healthcare and the life sciences. 

Dedi Gilad, CEO of TytoCare

AI will continue to be at the forefront of healthcare innovation, but the focus will shift from what it can do to what it does. We all know that payers, health systems and other healthcare organizations have huge repositories of health data, and the real question in 2025 is how those organizations can optimize the data they have to offer patients faster diagnoses, improved outcomes, or more accessible care. 

We have a lot planned for 2025; I’m sure others do, too. The future of healthcare will hinge on AI’s ability to seamlessly integrate into the clinician-patient relationship, providing high-quality, accessible care that drives meaningful and lasting results.

Anu Sharma, founder and CEO of Millie

I think AI will continue to gain prominence in healthcare – both in AI-driven SaaS models as well as in the continued tech-enablement of payor and provider operations. 

The applications are endless. On the payor side, we will see more AI used in actuarial risk analyses, claims adjudication and back-office processes like eligibility checks, prior authorization and member service call centers.

On the provider side, I am excited to see the continued role AI can play in extending current provider capacity via clinical decision support, ambient charting, inbox management and streamlined care operations.

In maternal health, with acute OB/GYN shortages, this is especially powerful in keeping care accessible as the incidence of maternity ‘care deserts’ continues to rise.

Dickon Waterfield, president of Lantern, formerly Employer Direct Healthcare

AI is rapidly moving from the “what’s next” category to “what’s now.” We’ll see greater use of AI in member-facing solutions that help guide members through low-complexity healthcare tasks. We’ll also see more AI integration to support operational efficiency in things like highly repetitive tasks, such as claims processing and analyzing information for marketing or sales intelligence.

Dr. Mitesh Rao, founder and CEO of OMNY Health

In 2025, we could see a shift in conversation from data security to patient safety, which is the ultimate goal. There will be an increase in partnerships launched across the industry, especially in the life sciences and between payers and providers. 

The AI space will be challenged for data unique to the healthcare industry. We will see huge demand and interest in how to fuel very hungry and excited AI companies that are all building game-changing products in the healthcare space but are limited by their access to data. Being able to access deep, proprietary data that can help support algorithmic development will help train LLMs. 

Liat Primor, founder and CEO of FeelBetter 

[In 2025, we’ll see] an increased awareness that AI can be used to make the healthcare workforce smarter and more efficient, rather than threatening jobs. We’ll also see greater differentiation between AI and generative AI in healthcare, as each one will have unique and different impacts in healthcare.

Dr. Geoffrey Ruttledge, cofounder and chief medical officer at HealthTap

AI offers the opportunity to improve our massively inefficient, overpriced and difficult-to-access healthcare system. AI has already demonstrated value in automating administrative healthcare tasks and helping deliver clinical care. Administrative tasks, such as claims generation based on chart review and automation of processing claims denials, are available and being rolled out.

Neil Patel, head of new ventures at Redesign Health

While AI scribes have dominated the conversation in 2024, the next evolution will be more transformative. Three key trends stand out: First, autonomous AI systems are becoming sophisticated enough to handle complex operational tasks. Think about the friction points in healthcare – prior authorizations, scheduling and initial patient screening. We are seeing AI systems that can manage these processes end-to-end, which could be transformative for staffing and costs.

Monica Cepak, CEO of Wisp

In women’s healthcare specifically, I anticipate that AI’s predictive potential for earlier/better diagnosis will drastically improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosing women with harder-to-diagnosis hormonal conditions. 

Chris Gervais, chief technology officer at CodaMetrix

With the changing political landscape, 2025 may experience a rollback in AI regulations, resulting in an acceleration of AI implementation within the healthcare industry. This will place greater responsibility on AI developers, coalitions and healthcare organizations to prioritize patient safety and organizational security. 

Additionally, after years of hype, 2025 will be the moment AI must deliver measurable, tangible results for health systems, moving beyond justifying investment with “slideshow ROI.” This will differentiate those who are genuinely innovating with AI from those merely scratching the surface. Providers and revenue cycle executives will expect to see real-world, materialized benefits from their AI investments.