DeepMind Technologies Ltd., the Google/Alphabet-owned elephant in the AI research room, has lost more than $1 billion over the past three years. And it owes another billion to creditors who’ll be looking for their money back, with interest, over the next year or so.

An eight-hospital health system in the Pacific Northwest has set up an AI-based “mission control center” to manage patient capacity, bed availability, hospital transfers and patients’ health status.

Only 51% of consumers feel optimistic or safe when it comes to AI infiltrating the healthcare space in the form of helping providers in diagnostic decision making and care management, according to a recent survey from Blumberg Capital.

If IBM’s Watson goes down as an early failure of AI in healthcare, the fumble may be recorded as an unforced error made by humans who were determined to position the company as the first serious player on the field.  

Healthcare leaders working for provider organizations and medical societies see AI as the best emerging technology for reducing risk. Meanwhile they see online media as the riskiest technology.

AI, blockchain and mHealth apps specific to Big Data are among eight emerging technologies healthcare watchers would do well to keep an eye on, according to a consumer-friendly roundup published Aug. 7 in the Santa Clarita Valley Signal. 

Only half of hospital leaders are conversant in AI and robotic process automation (RPA) technologies aimed at achieving nonclinical efficiencies. However, 23% want to invest in the technologies today and some 50% say they’ll do so by 2021.

The first half of the year has been good to the healthcare space for those startup companies looking for funding, as the sector has seen a record influx of cash, according to a recent report from CB Insights.