DAMO Academy steps onto UN stage. AI multi-cancer-early-screening tech to be promoted in developing countries.

On May 30 local time, the United Nations held the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. Alibaba DAMO Academy was invited to share its AI-based multi-cancer early-screening technology. Subsequently, the Digital Health Cooperation Center of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a strategic cooperation with DAMO Academy to promote this technology globally and assist more developing countries in the fight against cancer.

Cancer is a global public health challenge. The WHO states that one-third of cancers can be cured through early screening and treatment, but currently, there is still a lack of reliable early-screening methods in the industry. DAMO Academy was the first to propose the "non-contrast CT + AI" multi-cancer early-screening method, achieving large-scale early screening of pancreatic cancer for the first time internationally. The related research paper was published in the international top-tier journal "Nature Medicine". International experts said it "marks the beginning of the golden age of cancer screening based on medical imaging + AI". This is also the only Chinese achievement selected as a "Global AI Highlighted Research" in Stanford University's "2024 AI Index Report".

Dr. Le Lu, the head of DAMO Academy's medical AI team said, "Behind this is AI, as a new scientific paradigm, accelerating the improvement of clinical processes and inspiring innovation in modern medicine. We hope to achieve AI for Health for All." Currently, DAMO Academy's AI-based cancer early-screening technology has served more than 6 million people in China. Besides pancreatic cancer, it also includes the screening of high-incidence cancers such as esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, and gastric cancer. Internationally, it has reached a strategic cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Antigua and Barbuda. In addition, DAMO Academy, in collaboration with many top global medical institutions, continues to explore more efficient multi-cancer early-screening methods, hoping to detect 8 major cancers and 5 chronic diseases at an early stage through a single non-contrast CT.

Dr Lv Le, the head of DAMO Academy's medical AI team, makes a presentation at the United Nations AI for Good Global Summit.

At the summit, the Digital Health Cooperation Center of the WHO reached a strategic cooperation with DAMO Academy. The two sides will strengthen cooperation in channels, markets, implementation, technology, standards, etc., so that more developing countries and regions with unbalanced medical resources can share this cutting-edge achievement.

The AI for Good Global Summit is hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a subsidiary of the United Nations. It aims to promote the application and development of AI in key areas such as health, climate, and clean energy. The participating guests include representatives from international organizations, academia, and industry, such as UN Secretary-General António Guterres, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Turing Award winner Geoffrey Hinton, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.