Google’s Diabetic Retinopathy AI Model Licensed for Use in India and Thailand

Google announced the licensing of its diabetic retinopathy artificial intelligence (AI) model to healthcare providers and health-tech partners.

According to Google, during the next 10 years, Forus Health, AuroLab, and Perceptra will aim to deliver a combined 6 million AI-supported screenings to resource-constrained communities at no cost to patients across India and Thailand. The licensing agreement is designed to furthers the company’s commitment to improving health outcomes for communities around the globe, Google stated.

Approximately one decade ago, Google researchers began exploring ways that AI could help improve access to eyesight-saving patient care. The goal was to help doctors reach more patients who lacked access to eye screenings and help detect diabetic retinopathy. They developed an AI model designed to achieve that goal. Now, these licensing partners are bringing the diabetic retinopathy AI model into real-world clinical settings, thereby expanding access to screening on a large scale.

Google said its AI model has supported more than 600,000 screenings in clinics around the world.