The Landscape of Medical AI in China

AbstractChina has achieved significant progress in the medical AI field in recent years. However, the international community may be unaware of the scope and extent of medical AI innovations in China. In this perspective, we provide data on the landscape of medical AI in China, covering research focus areas, key players from academia and industry, and the main drivers of medical AI development. We provide insights into these trends relative to those seen in the United States. The number of medical AI-related publications from China has exceeded that from the United States in the past 2 years. Although both China and the United States prioritize technical development in their publications, followed by clinical disciplines, the United States had a more balanced focus between technical and clinical research. The Chinese Academy of Sciences and major universities affiliated with top hospitals are the predominant players. Regarding patents and revenue, several large Chinese medical technology companies are emerging as influential players, but they continue to lag behind large U.S. technology companies. Rapid increases in governmental funding, access to computational power, and optimization of an AI regulatory framework have become the main drivers of China's advancements in medical AI. Despite this progress, key challenges remain, including fragmented data sources and limited integration of AI into clinical workflow. Addressing these barriers will allow China to contribute to global medical AI development. (Funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China, grant number 2022YFC2502800, and others.).