Governance of artificial intelligence for health systems, WHO European Region

To provide an overview of the status of artificial intelligence (AI) governance for health in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region.

The WHO Regional Office for Europe developed a cross-sectional survey on AI governance and adoption. The survey was available to all 53 Member States between June 2024 and March 2025. Responses were analysed at the regional and subregional level.

Of the 50 Member States responding to the survey, 8% (4/50) have a health-specific AI strategy and 14% (7) are developing one. Regionally, 33 Member States have implemented cross-sectoral AI strategies and 8 (16%) are developing them. Of these Member States, almost half each have assigned implementation and oversight responsibilities to existing single or multiple government agencies. Nearly half the Member States (23) reported ongoing assessments of laws and policies on AI systems and a fifth (10) have developed new health-specific AI laws. Only 14 Member States have issued guidelines to address the ethical implications of using AI in health or across sectors. Less than 10% (4) of Member States have developed liability standards for AI or guidance on the application of existing liability standards. Overall, 33 (66%) Member States have adopted health data strategies, 33 (66%) have health data hubs and (68%) have health data authorities supporting data access and control.

In the WHO European Region, governance of AI in health care is underdeveloped. Adaptive legal and policy mechanisms are needed to respond effectively to the complex and evolving challenges of AI integration in health systems.