American philanthropist Bill Gates called for artificial intelligence (AI) to be deployed in Africa from the early stages of its development, warning that introducing the technology only after it has benefited wealthier nations would deepen global health inequalities. The chair of the Gates Foundation made the remarks during the inaugural Paul Farmer Butaro Dialogues on Health Equity and Innovation, held at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in partnership with the Consortium of Medical Schools-Africa (COMS-A) on Wednesday, July 22. First Lady Jeannette Kagame attended the event alongside Minister of Health Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire, Minister of Education Joseph Nsengimana, health leaders, researchers and other officials. Gates said AI has the potential to accelerate progress against diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and malnutrition, but argued its greatest impact would come from improving the delivery of healthcare services. He stressed that innovation must be designed with access and equity at its core. Gates added that institutions such as UGHE would play a key role in adapting AI tools to local contexts. During his visit to Rwanda, Gates toured the National Health Intelligence Center and praised Rwanda's progress in public health, noting that maternal and child mortality have each fallen by more than 80 per cent since the turn of the century.