Developing technology for the public interest: the cautionary tale of Babylon Health

With the NHS frequently described as ‘‘in crisis’’, some have positioned partnerships with tech start-ups as the solution. Yet, the values and incentives of venture-backed start-ups can conflict with the public interest principles that define the NHS.

In this talk, Dr Alison Powell draws on a new study to tell the cautionary tale of Babylon Health, which went bankrupt in 2023, to show the tension between ‘‘blitzscaling’’ – a tech-oriented business growth strategy – and the values underpinning NHS clinical practice. The talk will investigate how ideas about speed and scaling, as well as claims about the power of AI, influenced clinical labour practice and medical device regulation – with implications for future public interest technology development.

Dr Alison Powell is Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at LSE and serves as Programme Director for the MSc Media and Communications (Data and Society).

Catch up with previous Research Showcase events on YouTube

View the full playlist of past Research Showcase events.

LSE holds a wide range of events, covering many of the most controversial issues of the day, and speakers at our events may express views that cause offence. The views expressed by speakers at LSE events do not reflect the position or views of the London School of Economics and Political Science.