AI Meets Ancient Wisdom: UN Agencies Launch Report on Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine
Artificial intelligence (AI) is opening new frontiers for traditional medicine, combining centuries-old healing practices with cutting-edge technologies to enhance safety, personalization, effectiveness, and accessibility of care.
At the AI for Good Global Summit, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released a new technical brief titled Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine. Part of the Global Initiative on AI for Health, the report offers a strategic roadmap to responsibly integrate AI into traditional medicine while protecting cultural heritage and ensuring data sovereignty.
A New Chapter for Traditional Medicine
Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) is practiced in 170 countries and used by billions globally. Interest in TCIM is growing, driven by demand for holistic approaches that prioritize prevention, wellness, and rehabilitation.
The report highlights diverse country experiences where AI is advancing TCIM. Examples include:
- AI-assisted diagnostics in Ayurgenomics;
- Machine learning tools identifying medicinal plants in Ghana and South Africa;
- AI analysis of traditional compounds for blood disorder treatments in the Republic of Korea.
“Our Global Initiative on AI for Health aims to ensure all countries can safely and ethically benefit from AI solutions,” said Seizo Onoe, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. “This collaboration between ITU, WHO, and WIPO brings together critical expertise.”
Ethical, Data-Driven Innovation
The brief stresses the importance of high-quality, inclusive data and participatory design to ensure AI reflects the diversity of traditional practices. AI can enhance research on TCIM, as seen in:
- India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library, and
- The Americas’ Virtual Health Library,
both of which use AI to preserve Indigenous knowledge, foster collaboration, and prevent biopiracy—the unauthorized use of biological resources and traditional knowledge.
“Intellectual property is a key enabler for integrating AI into traditional medicine,” said Edward Kwakwa, WIPO Assistant Director-General. “WIPO’s work, including the new Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Traditional Knowledge, helps stakeholders manage IP to meet policy goals and support Indigenous and local communities.”
Upholding Indigenous Data Sovereignty
The report urges governments and institutions to safeguard Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) and apply free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) in all AI-related activities. It highlights community-led data governance models from Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, and calls for laws that empower Indigenous Peoples to control and benefit from their data.
“AI must not become a new form of exploitation,” warned Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems. “Indigenous Peoples and local communities must be protected and positioned as active partners in shaping the AI-traditional medicine future.”
A Global Call to Action
With the global TCIM market expected to reach nearly US$600 billion by 2025, the role of AI could further accelerate its reach and effectiveness. Yet, to unlock its full potential, there’s a pressing need for comprehensive frameworks in areas like:
- Regulation,
- Capacity building,
- Knowledge sharing,
- Ethical data use, and
- Equity-centered innovation.
The brief calls on governments, researchers, and communities to:
- Invest in inclusive AI ecosystems that respect cultural and data rights;
- Develop national policies addressing AI in traditional medicine;
- Train traditional medicine practitioners in digital literacy;
- Establish global standards for ethical AI use and data governance;
- Protect traditional knowledge through AI-powered digital archives and equitable benefit-sharing.
By aligning modern AI capabilities with ancient medical wisdom, a new model of healthcare can emerge—one that honors tradition, empowers communities, and builds a more equitable future for all.
