The GATES (Global AI Governance, Trust and Ethics for Sustainable Health) project is an interdisciplinary research initiative that aims to develop practical governance frameworks for the safe, ethical and trustworthy implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. Funded through Research Ireland's COALESCE Research Fund, the project brings together expertise from healthcare, business, policy and digital technologies to address one of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine: ensuring that AI is deployed responsibly while improving patient care and health system performance.

As AI technologies become increasingly integrated into clinical decision-making, diagnostics and healthcare management, there is an urgent need for robust governance structures that promote transparency, accountability and public trust. GATES will develop evidence-based guidance to help healthcare organisations implement AI systems that are safe for patients, protect sensitive health data and comply with emerging Irish and European AI regulations. The project will also examine how governance frameworks can support the responsible adoption of AI across diverse healthcare settings, ensuring that innovation is aligned with ethical principles, clinical effectiveness and health equity.

The project is led by Dr Huanhuan Xiong of University College Cork, with Professor Mark Ledwidge of University College Dublin serving as Co-Principal Investigator. By combining expertise across multiple disciplines and engaging with policymakers, healthcare providers and other key stakeholders, GATES seeks to bridge the gap between technological innovation and responsible healthcare practice.

The project is strengthened through international collaboration, bringing together partners from Ireland and Malawi to ensure that AI governance frameworks are informed by diverse healthcare settings and real-world challenges. GATES is being delivered in partnership with Sharon Morrow, Director of Mission and International Healthcare at Bon Secours Health System Ireland, and Professor Balwani Chingatichifwe Mbakaya, Professor of Public Health at the University of Livingstonia, Malawi, and Visiting Associate Professor at University College Dublin. Together, the partners contribute extensive expertise in global health, healthcare leadership, implementation science and public health research. This collaboration will ensure that AI governance approaches are co-developed with clinicians, researchers and health system leaders across both high- and low-resource settings, supporting ethical, equitable and sustainable adoption of artificial intelligence to improve patient care, strengthen health systems and advance global health.

Ultimately, GATES will support the development of sustainable, patient-centred AI solutions that strengthen health systems, enhance public confidence in emerging technologies, and contribute to national and international policy on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in healthcare.

Funding

The GATES project is funded by Research Ireland through the COALESCE Research Fund, which supports interdisciplinary research addressing national and global societal challenges. The support of Research Ireland in enabling this collaborative programme is gratefully acknowledged. The project reflects a shared commitment to advancing responsible artificial intelligence through international collaboration, ensuring that innovative digital health technologies deliver meaningful benefits for patients, healthcare professionals and health systems in Ireland, Malawi and beyond.

Team Members

• Dr Huanhuan Xiong, Business Information Systems, Cork University Busienss School, University College Cork, Ireland (Principal Investigator).

• Professor Mark Ledwidge, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland (Co-Principal Investigator).

• Sharon Morrow, Bon Secours Health System Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.

• Professor Balwani Chingatichifwe Mbakaya, School of Public Health, University of Livingstonia, Malawi.

• Dr Kayode Philip Fadahunsi, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, England.

• Hsin-yi Lee, Luke International, Malawi, Africa.

• Dr Joseph Wu, Luke International, Malawi, Africa.

• Yasir Bin NISAR, World Health Organisation, Geneva, Switzerland.

• Professor Joesph Gallagher, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland.

• Dr John O’Donoghue, Business Information Systems, Cork University Busienss School, University College Cork, Ireland.

Current Publications

• Xiong, H., Ledwidge, M.T., Fadahunsi, K.P., Lee, H.Y., Wu, J., Morrow, S., NISAR, Y.B., Mbakaya, B., O'Donoghue, J. and Gallagher, J., 2026. Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance, Trust, and Ethics for Sustainable Health (GATES): A Protocol for Methodological Framework. VeriXiv, 2, p.187. (link)