PATH Appoints Dr Bilal Mateen as Inaugural Chief AI Officer

SEATTLE, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PATH, a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity, today announced the appointment of Bilal Mateen as its Chief AI Officer. In this newly created role, Mateen will lead PATH's efforts to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate progress toward a world where everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy life.

Mateen brings to the role a wealth of experience in AI and technology leadership. He most recently served as Executive Director of Digital Square where he supported ministries of health across Africa and Asia with effective planning, procurement, and implementation of technology to help address the global health equity gap. In this post, he also served as principal investigator, overseeing more than $250 million in grants and contracts focused on digital health transformation in low-resource environments.

Dr. Mateen is a physician by training with an academic background in health-related applications of data science and machine learning. Prior to joining PATH, he served as the Clinical Technology Lead and Senior Manager for Digital Technology at the Wellcome Trust, one of the world's largest philanthropic foundations supporting science and health research.

"We are thrilled Bilal is crossing this frontier with us," said PATH CEO Nikolaj Gilbert. "His deep expertise in AI and his passion for using technology to solve global challenges make him the ideal person to lead our AI efforts. We're excited to collaborate and support countries in harnessing the power of ethically and effectively applied AI to improve public health, reaching communities in need and transforming lives for a healthier future. We're confident that Bilal will help us realize that potential."

Gilbert added, "To respond to a genuine need for more strategic integration of AI in health, we created this role of Chief AI Officer—the first in the health NGO-space, as a reflection of our commitment to including the most strategic expertise on this transformational technology in PATH's leadership team."  

Mateen will be responsible for developing and implementing PATH's AI strategy, which will focus on using AI to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of PATH's programs, as well as to develop new health solutions. He will also work to build partnerships with other organizations in the AI and health sectors.

"I am honored to be the first to hold this groundbreaking role," said Mateen. "I am deeply passionate about the role of research in advancing ethical and inclusive applications of artificial intelligence to improve lives. I believe that AI has the power to revolutionize the way we address global health challenges, and I am excited to work with the talented team at PATH to harness that power."

Mateen's appointment comes at a time when PATH is increasingly focused on the use of AI to achieve its goals. Building on our work since 2018 in this area, in recent years, PATH has launched a number of initiatives that leverage AI and other technologies. This includes a flagship project which Dr Mateen leads with partners in Kenya, Nigeria, and Rwanda. This work evaluates how to effectively and ethically utilize large language model-based tools as knowledge assistants to support frontline health workers with diagnosis, treatment, and referral decisions.

Dr. Mateen completed his Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Medical Sciences and his medical training at University College London. He subsequently completed his Master of Public Health at the University of Edinburgh, and his PhD at Kings College London. Alongside his role at PATH, he continues to hold an honorary professorial appointment at University College London and he held a fellowship at the Alan Turing Institute (the UK's national institute for data science and artificial intelligence). He also holds a number of other fellowships in recognition of his world-leading expertise in the field.

PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience, PATH saves lives and improves health, especially among women and children. We accelerate innovation to develop and deliver high-impact solutions, from life-saving vaccines and devices to collaborative programs with communities.

Contact information:

Julianna Longo, Interim Director of Global Strategic Communications, PATH

jlongo@path.org