Davos 2026: AI reshaping healthcare at scale, but 70% global health data underrepresents women, says Smriti Irani at WEF

Even as the world hails artificial intelligence (AI) as the greatest catalyst for healthcare innovation in a century, it is operating with a dangerous blind spot: the chronic underrepresentation of women in global health data.

Speaking at the 2026 World Economic Forum, former Union minister Smriti Irani , founder and chairperson of the Alliance for Global Good, issued a warning to the tech and medical communities. During the accredited session “Intelligence for Inclusion: Transforming Women’s Health through AI,” Irani said that nearly 70% of global health data fails to adequately represent women, leading to skewed algorithms and uneven health outcomes.

“The future of healthcare innovation must be evidence-based, ethical, and inclusive,” Irani stated. “If the data fuelling the AI revolution is biased, the solutions it produces will inherently ignore the physiological realities of half the world’s population.”

Beyond the gender gap: A trillion-dollar leadership crisis

Irani’s comments extended beyond data to the corporate structures governing the bio-revolution. She said that while biotechnology is a trillion-dollar industry transforming disease treatment and climate response, women hold fewer than one in five leadership positions in the sector.

“A truly global bio-revolution must be anchored in equitable participation,” she said. At the Strategic Leadership in the Bio Revolution session, she stressed that gender-responsive leadership is not just a social goal but a strategic enabler that enhances market performance and delivers more inclusive societal outcomes.

The ₹350-crore Ayush breakthrough

For Irani, the 2026 Davos summit was less about "rights" and more about "equity." This culminated in the announcement of a ₹350 crore investment by Laila Nutraceuticals into women’s wellness—the largest ever for Ayush (traditional medicine) systems.

"Two years ago, we helped one lady start a business with ₹1 lakh. Today, she is valued at ₹80 crore. Just yesterday, we had a young girl who we were hoping would lead a big investment in Ayush. An announcement of ₹350 crore was made for women's health, brain health, hormonal health, and bone health. This is the largest investment ever announced, especially for Ayush and women's wellness. That was the dream of the Prime Minister, that even traditional medicine systems like Ayush find international not only platforms, but also investment," Irani told ANI.

Digital cushion and grassroots scaling

Throughout the forum, Irani reflected upon India’s success in using technology to bypass traditional infrastructure delays. She cited the Poshan Tracker and the Ayushman Bharat digital stack as proof that "dignity for women" can be guaranteed by systems rather than charity.

“Our mission is to ensure that as AI reshapes the world, it does so with a conscience that finally sees and serves women,” Irani said.