Professor Shafi Ahmed

Thank you to the 300 people who came to the book signing and launch of my book at 1 Wimpole Street, London, last week. From the US to Switzerland, France to the Czech Republic, and from all over the UK, I was so humbled and overwhelmed by all of you making the effort to support this launch. From family, friends from school, college, and medical school, to colleagues from my career, and students I have taught over the years, it was a wonderful occasion. Thanks to the leadership team at the Royal Society of Medicine, who generously supported me with the venue. Thank you to Tim Lane, President-Elect of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, for the fireside chat and Q&A with the audience.

"𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑼𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒁𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑰 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓" These are the opening lines of my new book on AI. When I wrote Intelligent: The Evolution of AI Transforming Healthcare, I wanted to leave a legacy for the next generation of students, healthcare workers and leaders. Last week, at the official launch in London, I asked my two children, Usmaan Ahmed and Zarina Ahmed, both medical students, to read a few paragraphs from the book. I couldn't be prouder of my two children, who spoke so eloquently to a senior audience with both confidence and humility. I couldn't think of anyone better to narrate what AI aims to deliver for the future of our society than the very people who will guide both patients and colleagues in healthcare. Watching your own children carry your thoughts and written words forward for the next generation was one of the most incredible moments of my life. And yes, I shed a tear or two.

Was thrilled to be at book launch of : intelligent- the evolution of AI transforming healthcare. Here is me getting my copy signed (appreciate the kind message) and this weekend I’m already enjoying reading it. Favourite line so far “Catastrophism and euphoria are both, in their different ways, forms of intellectual abdication.” Thankfully I remain curious and embrace change. But it’s on this generation to ensure AI legacy is for good! Feel a book club coming on 😂

Thanks to Kesava Kumar and his team from The Chrysalis creative team for graciously videoing my book launch in Toronto last week and for the photo shoot. Thanks to Zayna Khayat and Hadi Saleh for the kind invitation and setting up the event and bringing together so many colleagues and health leaders. I gave a short reading and a Q&A session with the audience and signed a few books. Toronto is a fabulous city.

It was a wonderful experience to launch my book at Natural History Museum last night at the Maa Global Health Awards. I have given keynotes around the world on many stages but this was very special. Reading excerpts from your book with history all around you. Unforgettable Congratulations to all of the winners yesterday for their fantastic contributions to global health. Thanks to Dr. Aqil Jaigirdar and the entire team for a brilliant evening celebrating the best of humanity. Thanks to Prof Vincent Sai for the photos.

Another brilliant @wired health. It was a pleasure to have a fireside chat with Lord Vallance, who is the Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear. A wide-ranging conversation discussing innovation, AI standards and regulations, drug discovery and clinical trials, sovereign AI, the NHS and its challenges and Life Sciences in the UK. I was impressed with his candour and honesty, and I really enjoyed the conversation. I hope the audience found it useful. I have been attending Wired Health for the last decade, and it is one of my favourite events of the year. The quality and content of the event are always first class. Thanks to João Medeiros, Katie Drummond for the kind invitation and the entire team for putting on yet another brilliant show and in a new venue for the event, Outernet Venues in Central London.

I am so excited and immensely proud to receive the first copies of my new book!! INTELLIGENT: The Evolution of AI Transforming Healthcare. It is now available globally on Amazon as hardback, paperback and ebook versions. This has been a long journey writing this book and trying to understand the type of book that was necessary and would have the biggest impact. The book reflects a decade of my work and thinking on AI and its role in healthcare. It is written for absolutely anyone interested in this space, from patients, students, clinicians, scientists and health care leaders. Fundamentally, it's a story of AI and how it will impact all of us in healthcare and gives a critical analysis of the current landscape. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I am excited to visit Toronto for the North American launch of my book INTELLIGENT. The Evolution of AI Transforming Healthcare. It will be my first visit to Canada. Thank you to AMS Healthcare and SE Health, and in particular Zayna Khayat, Ph.D. and Hadi Salah Date: Monday, 20th April 2026 Time: 1530 -1700 pm Venue: Spaces Queen West I will give a talk and a reading, and sign copies. If you are in Toronto, it would be great to see you. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/toronto-launch-of-dr-shafi-ahmeds-book-on-ai-transforming-healthcare-tickets-1987025890929?aff=ebdsshother&utm_share_source=listing_android&sg=09c02814d36fc54e901af7af198961ca87d4e582df718f0f7aff752bbe1ad28fb8f5332e7637bf137936504181c2fe979855e07fecad1270121b43067b1c631a0f99f7bc6cce78bb8d63d6a77a

I am absolutely delighted to announce the launch my new book at The Natural History Museum, London on Saturday 19th at the 2026 Maa Global Health Awards. 𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑳𝑳𝑰𝑮𝑬𝑵𝑻: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝑰 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 I can't think of a better place to launch a book that describes the evolution of the most consequential technology of our lifetime than in the museum that provides the evidence of our own evolution. I will also be delivering a short keynote on AI and Global Health. All proceeds of book sales on the day will go to Maa Global, an important charity for maternal health in Bangladesh. Thank you to Dr. Aqil Jaigirdar for his leadership and vision of the charity and his team for the invitation.

Last night I watched a room full of doctors change their minds in real time. 75% walked into the @roysocmed believing AI will radically change the role of the doctor. 90 minutes later? The majority said no. A 27-point swing. Four extraordinary speakers debated the motion "This house believes that AI will radically change the role of the doctor" — and the result was not what anyone expected. @prof_shafi — a surgeon known as "the digital surgeon" who has built countries in the metaverse — stood up to argue AGAINST the motion. His point was devastating: doctors have adapted to every technological revolution in history, from the stethoscope to the internet. AI is no different. We evolve. We don't break. @p_annabelle made a brilliant case for the motion — AI is already democratising medical expertise and will create personalised medical oracles available to the public on demand. But the audience decided: that's evolution, not revolution. The purpose of a doctor — to listen, to reason, to care — endures. As a surgeon who uses AI tools in my own practice every day, this resonated deeply. AI handles my admin. It accelerates my workflow. But the conversation I have with a patient about their face, their goals, their fears — that remains irreducibly human. AI is the most powerful tool medicine has ever been given. But a tool is only as good as the hands that hold it. Full blog post on my website — link in bio 👆 @roysocmed @prof_shafi @p_annabelle @nose.london #AIinMedicine #MedicalAI #RSM #RoyalSocietyOfMedicine #TheGreatDebate #FutureOfMedicine #DigitalHealth #ArtificialIntelligence #SurgeonLife #AIinHealthcare #DoctorsOfInstagram #FacialPlasticSurgery #NHS #HealthTech #Innovation #MedTwitter #AIDebate #MedicalInnovation #PatientCare #FRCS

It was another memorable evening in The Room. Delighted to share the master of ceremonies with Professor Dame Lesley Regan DBE, the first ever women's health ambassador for England. 50 of the most incredible women health leaders discussing the future, challenges and opportunities in the same room. Once again, Danny Al-Khafaji and the team from Future Medicine created a wonderful evening of music and opera, light canapés. And... Sarah Head aka "Silhouette Sarah" creating our individual silhouettes, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Sarah has spent 25 years travelling creating silhouettes of the most famous people in the world. Each masterpiece created in 2 mins whilst she was also engaging in a conversation. Mindblowing. Looking forward to the next edition of The Room for more conversation.

The official pictures from my speech at @theoxfordunion on the debate 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑨𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑩𝒆 𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚'𝒔 𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑰𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏