Verily, the healthcare and life sciences sister company of Google, said Aug. 5 it is launching a new artificial intelligence research and development center in Israel.
The center will focus on using AI to address problems and inefficiencies facing the medical field, including applying the technology to endoscopy, minimally invasive surgery and other imaging methods. It plans to partner with Israeli hospitals, researchers and digital health companies.
Verily’s Israel team will be based in Haifa and Tel Aviv, alongside Google Health researchers. Verily will pick up some of Google Health's projects, including one exploring the use of AI to detect polyps in real-time during colorectal cancer screenings.
"Israel, often referred to as the startup nation, has a culture of innovation and a strong track record of success in accelerating technological developments," Ehud Rivlin, PhD, the site lead for Verily's Israel team, said in a news release. "The country has excellent academic institutions all within a short distance of our offices, providing the opportunity for easy collaboration. Israel has a vibrant health ecosystem that is ideally suited for innovation."