The Government is pledging £250m for artificial intelligence to improve detection and treatment for cancer, dementia and heart disease.
The plan includes giving up to five million people a free personalised health report based on their DNA sparking possible concerns over the use of patient data.
It comes after Google AI programme Deepmind was given access to an estimated 1.6million NHS patient files as part of a plan to build an app that can alert doctors to patients who are at risk from kidney injuries.
The data-sharing agreement concerned privacy campaigners but the tech giant insisted the data was encrypted and secure.
The Department for Health say the latest plans could improve cancer screening by speeding up the results of tests, including mammograms, brain scans, eye scans and heart monitoring, helping to save millions of lives a year.
It could also help identify patients most at risk of diseases such as heart disease or dementia, allowing for earlier diagnosis and cheaper, more focused, personalised prevention.
The National Artificial Intelligence Lab. which will bring together academics, specialists and technology companies, is intended to make the UK one of the world leaders in AI.
The Prime Minister said: “The NHS is revered for the world-class care it provides every day – a treasured institution that showcases the very best of Britain.
“But it is also leading the way in harnessing new technology to treat and prevent, from earlier cancer detection to spotting the deadly signs of dementia.
“Today’s funding is not just about the future of care though. It will also boost the frontline by automating admin tasks and freeing up staff to care for patients.”
The plan has the support of NHS chief Simon Stevens who described the move as a “step in the right direction”.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We are on the cusp of a huge health tech revolution that could transform the patient experience by making the NHS a truly predictive, preventive and personalised health and care service.
“I am determined to bring the benefits of technology to patients and staff, so the impact of our NHS Long Term Plan and this immediate, multimillion-pound cash injection are felt by all. It’s part of our mission to make the NHS the best it can be.
“The experts tell us that because of our NHS and our tech talent, the UK could be the world leader in these advances in healthcare, so I’m determined to give the NHS the chance to be the world leader in saving lives through artificial intelligence and genomics.”
