In the era of greater autonomy after years of experimentation with passive artificial intelligence, Aashima Gupta, Google Cloud’s global director of healthcare, says it’s no longer a question of adoption but a question of implementation.
Speaking in an exclusive interview at Google Cloud Next 2026, Gupta explained how AI has quickly become integrated into clinical workflows – and not through top-down pressure. Instead, frontline demand has had a significant influence on how AI systems are delivered across the industry, with tools designed to reduce worker fatigue.
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Google’s vision for healthcare AI is almost entirely administrative
But the real transformation is yet to come, in what Gupta describes as health care’s “agent moment.” Rather than simply assisting humans, AI agents are beginning to orchestrate entire workflows, reasoning across multiple systems, adapting to context, and executing multi-step processes.
“They are agents – they don’t get tired,” she added, emphasizing the power of autonomy in performing repetitive administrative tasks while clinicians focus on high-value, human-centered care.
Agentic is the name of the game in an industry still dominated by legacy systems and physical paper records. Gupta says modern AI agents can now stitch together systems such as electronic medical records, imaging systems, laboratories and insurance platforms.
But as workers increasingly accept AI assistance after experimenting with consumer products in their day, Google Cloud knows that the real battle for widespread adoption lies in trust, not capability.
Data residency, audibility, and role-based access controls are all critical to the success of AI in healthcare – one of the most regulated industries, but also one of the industries likely to benefit the most from properly deployed AI.
Gemini doesn’t want your patient records, but Google wants to help you connect to them for your surgery
Looking ahead, Gupta envisions a future in which every patient will have access to an AI assistant through their own healthcare provider, hospital or clinic. Gemini’s power isn’t enough, she explained, noting that Google doesn’t have access to your personal records (nor does it want to).
But for hyper-personalized healthcare recommendations that could prevent clinic visits altogether, purpose-built AI chatbots are really the goal.
And when it comes to small healthcare providers, Gupta’s message is clear: “Be in the arena.” Start experimenting with early pilots around high-frequency, low-risk workflows now to build internal expertise and expand from there.
Ultimately, Gupta sees AI as an enabler of capability for clinicians, not a substitute for workers in an industry defined by human interaction.
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