Human-Centered Care in the Age of AI: Technology as a Catalyst for Better Connection

AI as an Invitation to Dialogue

In many healthcare settings, conversations between care providers and patients are heavily medically driven. Data, guidelines, and protocols are essential for efficiency, but they also tend to set the tone. What if AI could not only analyze data, but also present it in a way that invites dialogue? In that case, technology becomes not a judgment, but a starting point.

The art of enabling that lies in the design—not just of the algorithm, but of the entire experience: What does the patient see and feel What is the caregiver’s experience? Is there space for personal preferences? Can AI act as a neutral presence in the room, one that encourages balanced, respectful conversations?

Bridging Life World and System World

We see potential in AI to bridge the gap between the life world of patients and the system world of healthcare. By translating predictions and insights into understandable, actionable information, AI can create space for meaningful conversations—about how someone lives, what concerns they have, and where opportunities for change might exist. AI doesn't have to be about control and direction—it can be about context and support.

Conditions for Human-Centered AI in Healthcare

To realize this potential, several design principles are essential:

• Co-creation: AI applications must be developed with the people who use them—patients, care providers, and loved ones.
• Transparency: Users need to understand how an AI arrives at a particular outcome, and when that outcome can or should be questioned.
• Freedom of choice: Technology must offer actionable options, not fixed paths.
• Equity: The conversation between patient and caregiver must remain central—AI supports, but does not replace it.

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