1,228
▲ 2.3× vs 2024
medical AI publications discussing governance in 2025; algorithmic 896, societal 874
20212025

What the chart shows

Of the three groups of ethics topics the AI Index tracks, governance featured in the most medical AI publications in 2025: 1,228, up from 544 in 2024. Algorithmic concerns appeared in 896 and societal concerns, such as equity, justice and accessibility, in 874.

Governance led in every year except 2022, when algorithmic concerns were ahead, 199 to 170. Societal concerns grew fastest in 2025, to 2.5 times 2024, almost catching algorithmic ones. The AI Index notes that biosecurity is rarely discussed (related chart).

Key numbers

MeasureValue
Governance, 20251,228
Governance, 2024544
Algorithmic, 2025896
Societal, 2025874
Societal, 2024347
Algorithmic, 2022199

How to read it

  • A publication can discuss more than one group, so the three lines add up to more than the number of publications discussing ethics.
  • Topic groups as classified by RAISE Health in PubMed Central, 2021–2025.
Source: RAISE Health, 2026, via the AI Index Report 2026 (Stanford HAI), figure 6.4.2: Number of medical AI publications by ethics topics, 2021–25. Chart and text by AI Adoption.
Numbers checked against the published data on 20 October 2026.
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