Over the past decade, global healthcare systems have been tested to their limits. The shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the pressures of accelerating population aging, a rise in chronic diseases, and persistent inequalities in medical resource distribution, has created a shared global challenge: healthcare demand is rising, but supply capacity cannot keep pace. According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, more than half of the world’s population still lacks access to basic public health services. In 2023, the global shortage of healthcare workers stood at approximately 14.7 million, a gap that is projected to remain around 10 million by 2030.

Against this backdrop, artificial intelligence is emerging as a critical force for reshaping healthcare. In China, particularly, AI is not only being used to solve hospital efficiency problems but has been integrated into the core of national public health and digital economy strategies. Leveraging strong policy support, a vast data foundation, and a vibrant industrial ecosystem, China is becoming a key global proving ground for medical AI, providing a new model for cooperation among BRICS nations and the broader Global South.

The Landscape of China’s AI in Healthcare

In the first half of 2025, Tsinghua University’s Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) launched the world’s first “Agent Hospital”—an AI system capable of end-to-end diagnosis and treatment decisions across 21 departments and for over 300 disease scenarios. The system can automatically generate medical records, analyze imaging, and provide preliminary diagnostic reports with an average accuracy rate exceeding 93%. A process that might take a human doctor half a day can now be completed by AI in just a few minutes. For primary care hospitals, which often face a shortage of doctors and a high concentration of patients, this represents a hundred-fold increase in diagnostic efficiency.

Crucially, this system is not designed to replace doctors but to “algorithmize expert experience,” turning the intelligent system into a “digital hub” for medical institutions. It can assist in diagnosis, participate in research and teaching, and form a closed loop of “learning-diagnosis-feedback.” This marks a significant shift in China’s medical AI, moving from single-application tools toward systemic integration and from tool-based innovation to systemic transformation.

Policy is a key driver of this change. Since the launch of the “AI+” Action Plan in 2024, healthcare has been designated a priority area. In 2025, the State Council issued an opinion on deepening the implementation of the “AI+” initiative, proposing the construction of an “AI application ecosystem chain” supported by industrial clusters, research institutions, and demonstration hospitals. This has elevated AI from a research novelty to a core component of public service.

At the same time, local innovation has become the primary engine for implementation. A “central planning + local pilots” dual-track model has emerged:

• Beijing is providing special funds of up to 10 million RMB to support AI drug R&D projects.
• Shenzhen has established an “AI + Life and Health” industrial park, offering rent-free office space and real-world testing scenarios for startups.
• Hainan is leveraging its Free Trade Port policies to drive innovation in AI clinical trials and data regulation.
• Xiamen serves as a dedicated hub for international partnership, hosting the BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center to foster policy coordination and project development in key sectors like healthcare.

This model has made AI in healthcare one of the most dynamic sectors of China’s digital economy.

The BRICS Call for Cooperation in Medical AI

As digital health accelerates globally, the BRICS nations are making their voices heard, calling for technology cooperation to promote health equity and enhance the resilience of public health systems. Brazil’s recent proposal to the New Development Bank (NDB) for a smart public hospital project is a concrete manifestation of this cooperation. With a total investment of approximately $320 million, the project will build Brazil’s first smart hospital under its Unified Health System (SUS). It will deploy AI diagnostic systems, remote consultation platforms, and 5G ambulances, led by the University of São Paulo with core technical support from China. This is not just an infrastructure project; it is a new starting point for the BRICS nations to explore a model of “digital co-construction and shared outcomes.”

At this year’s BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, AI in healthcare was a major topic. Leaders agreed that in the face of unequal medical resources and doctor shortages, AI should be more than a technical innovation—it must be a key tool for achieving health equity and inclusive development. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed establishing a more inclusive, demand-oriented financing system to support smart healthcare and research cooperation. NDB President Dilma Rousseff also stated that the BRICS nations need to use collaborative innovation to ensure the benefits of AI truly reach the general public. It is clear that the collective call of the BRICS countries is moving from “conceptual initiatives” to “on-the-ground cooperation,” forging a new direction for global collaboration in the healthcare sector.

Future Mechanisms for China-BRICS Cooperation in Medical AI

China’s practical experience with medical AI provides a real-world example for BRICS cooperation and reveals three potential mechanisms for the future:

1. Technology Sharing and Standards Harmonization: China has accumulated rich experience in algorithms, security, and data management. In the future, it can work with BRICS countries to jointly formulate AI medical standards, promoting interoperability and data trust between different national systems. Joint research and model validation, conducted while ensuring privacy, will make cooperation more efficient.
2. Joint Infrastructure Construction and Application Complementarity: Brazil’s smart hospital project is an excellent start. With intelligent systems and technical support provided by China, BRICS countries can jointly explore new models like “smart hospitals” and “remote diagnostics.” As more countries join, this cooperation has the potential to form an interconnected, transnational digital health network.
3. Financial Support and Governance Cooperation: Leveraging the NDB platform, countries can provide long-term financial support for medical AI projects. At the same time, China’s practices in AI ethics, algorithmic transparency, and regulatory compliance can help BRICS nations establish more responsible and secure governance systems.

Overall, the cooperation between China and the BRICS nations in medical AI is evolving from a technical level to a systemic one. China’s policy experience and innovation capabilities offer a reference path for the BRICS countries, while the BRICS’ multilateral mechanism provides a broader international stage for the outcomes of China’s medical AI. The combination of the two is driving a new type of digital health ecosystem centered on sharing, cooperation, and equity, setting a new course for global healthcare collaboration.