EuroWire, COPENHAGEN: Nearly three quarters of European Union countries are already using artificial intelligence in diagnostics, according to a new report from the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe, which said the findings offer the first comprehensive snapshot of how AI is being deployed across the bloc’s health systems. The report showed that 74% of EU member states reported using AI-assisted diagnostics, covering applications such as medical imaging, disease detection and clinical decision-making.
The report was based on data collected between June 2024 and March 2025 and covered all 27 EU member states. WHO/Europe said the findings showed broad momentum in adopting AI tools in healthcare, with every member state identifying improved patient care as a driver of AI development. The agency said the review focused on practical use in health systems rather than experimental pilot work alone, pointing to growing integration of AI into routine clinical and administrative settings.
It also found that 63% of EU countries reported using chatbots to support patient engagement, while nearly half had already created dedicated professional roles for AI and data science in health. Several countries also said they were planning or expanding training programs linked to AI use in the health sector. The report said those measures reflect a wider shift toward embedding technical capacity inside health systems as digital tools move further into front-line care and patient communication.
Training And Governance Gain Importance
WHO/Europe said workforce preparedness and governance were emerging as central issues as AI use expands. The report found that 81% of EU member states were already involving stakeholders in shaping AI governance in health, a sign that countries are pairing adoption with efforts to address accountability, oversight and public confidence. It also said more countries were integrating AI literacy into both pre-service education and ongoing professional development for health workers.
The report said clinicians remain legally and ethically responsible for decisions supported by technologies used in care, making training and public engagement increasingly important as AI systems become more embedded in clinical settings. WHO/Europe said wider consultation with patients and the public could help strengthen trust and improve how these tools are aligned with health system needs. It also said countries were investing in the foundations needed to use AI safely, equitably and responsibly across different care settings.
EU Rules Form Part Of Broader Health Tech Shift
The study was produced under a multi-year funding agreement with the European Commission and was released as the EU continues to roll out its legal framework for artificial intelligence. The European Commission says the AI Act entered into force on Aug. 1, 2024, with prohibited AI practices and AI literacy obligations applying from Feb. 2, 2025, and rules for general-purpose AI models applying from Aug. 2, 2025. The law becomes fully applicable on Aug. 2, 2026, with some exceptions.
The broader data framework for health is also advancing. The European Commission says the European Health Data Space regulation entered into force on March 26, 2025, beginning a transition phase for a common system governing the use and exchange of electronic health data across the EU. Taken together, the WHO/Europe findings show that AI adoption in European healthcare now spans diagnostics, patient engagement, workforce planning and governance at the same time that the bloc’s regulatory architecture is being put in place.