Artificial intelligence is frequently presented as the answer to questions about the future of nearly every industry. In health care, however, the consequences of how the technology is developed and deployed may be considerably greater, according to Scott R. Steele, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS, President of the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus Submarket.
“I think the stakes are a little bit higher,” Dr. Steele said in a video preview of Cleveland Clinic’s second annual AI Summit for Healthcare Professionals, to be held on August 27–28, 2026, in Cleveland.
The summit will bring together experts to examine the role of AI in medicine from clinical, operational and policy perspectives. Planned discussions will address pharmaceuticals, industry leadership, health care delivery processes and patient care, as well as AI’s potential effects on efficiency, clinician burnout, education, innovation, organizational strategy, finances and patient-centered outcomes.
The meeting will also confront the limitations and risks associated with AI adoption. Dr. Steele said the program will examine workforce concerns, unsuccessful AI applications, cybersecurity threats, and the organizational challenges involved in incorporating new technologies into health care.
Successful implementation, he emphasized, requires more than acquiring an AI tool. Health systems must also develop a culture capable of using the technology effectively and responsibly.
The ethical implications of AI will be another focus, including how the technology may affect the health of clinicians and their patients. The goal is to give attendees a more complete understanding of how AI could influence their practices, professional partnerships and patient care.
Dr. Steele said the program is intended for clinicians across the spectrum of AI familiarity—from those already incorporating the technology into their personal and professional routines to those concerned about automation and the possibility that computers or robots could replace health care professionals.
By examining both AI’s potential benefits and its “dark side,” the summit aims to help health care professionals evaluate the technology with a greater understanding of its clinical, operational and ethical implications.
