The International Society of Medical AI (ISMAI) will convene its flagship scientific meeting, the International Symposium on Medical AI (ISMAI 2026), on 3–4 December 2026 at the Aula Magna, Careggi University Hospital in Florence, Italy. The two-day event will gather clinicians, AI scientists, researchers, ethicists, legal scholars, and healthcare leaders to examine how artificial intelligence is entering clinical medicine and its implications for evidence, patient safety, clinical judgement, ethics, governance, and professional responsibility.
Under the theme “The Renaissance of Clinical Intelligence,” the programme places the clinical consequences of medical AI at the centre of discussion. Confirmed faculty include Edward H. Shortliffe, Vimla L. Patel, Ewout W. Steyerberg, Niels Peek, Laure Wynants, Kerstin Denecke, Giovanni Sartor, and Iain Buchan, alongside other experts from several countries. The symposium aims to address critical questions about how AI should be integrated into care while maintaining professional standards.
“Artificial intelligence is entering clinical practice faster than medicine has established common approaches to evidence, oversight and responsibility,” said Dr Omar Tujjar, President of the International Society of Medical AI. “The central questions are what evidence should be required, what must remain under professional judgement, and how responsibility should work when AI becomes part of care.” His remarks underscore the urgency of developing robust frameworks for AI in healthcare.
The scientific programme covers foundations of medical AI; clinical AI implementation; validation and patient safety; ethics and philosophy; healthcare AI governance; and medical AI education and professional formation. Sessions will address clinical validation, algorithm monitoring, failure reporting, accountability, regulation, human judgement, and the implementation of AI across the patient pathway. These topics are essential as AI tools increasingly influence diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes.
ISMAI 2026 is clinician-led and vendor-neutral, with scientific programming, faculty selection, abstract review, and accreditation separated from commercial influence. This independence is crucial for ensuring that discussions and recommendations are driven by clinical and ethical considerations rather than commercial interests. The symposium carries 12 CME / CPD credits, offering valuable continuing education for healthcare professionals.
Abstract submissions across clinical, scientific, ethical, technical, and governance themes remain open until 20 October 2026. Further information about ISMAI 2026 is available at https://florence.ismai.org. The International Society of Medical AI (ISMAI) is an independent, clinician-led, vendor-neutral medical AI society and registered charity in Ireland (RCN 20206982), focused on the safe, evidence-based, ethical, and responsible implementation of artificial intelligence in medicine.
For healthcare professionals and industry stakeholders, ISMAI 2026 represents a pivotal opportunity to shape the future of medical AI. As AI tools proliferate, the symposium’s outcomes could influence standards for validation, monitoring, and accountability, ultimately impacting patient safety and the quality of care. The emphasis on clinician leadership and vendor neutrality may also set a precedent for how medical AI is governed globally, ensuring that human judgement remains central to clinical decision-making. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, ISMAI 2026 aims to bridge the gap between rapid technological advancement and the cautious, evidence-based adoption that medicine demands.
