Kyndryl and the University of Liverpool will co-develop AI blueprints to advance next-generation healthcare and reduce regional health disparities.
Kyndryl has entered into a collaboration with the University of Liverpool’s Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL) to explore how emerging artificial intelligence technologies could strengthen future healthcare services.
The partnership will combine Kyndryl’s AI Innovation Lab and consulting expertise with the university’s research initiatives, including its AI for Life Frontier program. Together, the organizations plan to co-develop blueprints for next-generation healthcare technologies using Kyndryl’s Agentic AI Framework alongside academic research capabilities.
In its first phase, the collaboration will focus on generating and evaluating conceptual AI projects aimed at improving patient interaction and service delivery. Potential applications include conversational AI tools — such as voice agents — that could help patients track symptoms, manage medication adherence and navigate NHS and social care services more effectively.
Projects developed through the initiative are expected to contribute to a shared library of innovation-ready models for future use. Where appropriate, the teams will draw on population health datasets and established testbed environments, including Data-into-Action, CHI-Zone, Civic Data Cooperative, M-RIC and Secure Data Environment platforms.
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Professor Iain Buchan, director of CHIL and associate pro vice chancellor for innovation at the University of Liverpool, said the collaboration aims to address mounting pressures on healthcare systems, particularly in disadvantaged communities where residents often experience poorer health outcomes and shorter life expectancy.
Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, framed the partnership as part of a broader effort to reduce health disparities. He noted that life expectancy gaps between affluent and deprived communities in the region can reach 15 years, underscoring the need for preventive and personalized care supported by advanced technology.
Jonathan Ingram, president of Kyndryl UK and Ireland, said the initiative reflects a shared commitment to ensuring AI serves public needs. By pairing academic insight with enterprise-grade AI frameworks, he said, the partnership seeks to build practical, scalable solutions capable of strengthening public services.
Kyndryl’s AI Innovation Lab in Liverpool, launched in 2025, will play a central role in the work, drawing on expertise in multi-agent optimization and conversational AI to develop prototypes addressing real-world healthcare challenges, including those affecting digitally excluded populations.
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The collaboration aligns with the Liverpool City Region’s Life Sciences Innovation Zone, part of the U.K. government’s Investment Zone Program, positioning the region as an emerging hub for health and life sciences innovation.
As healthcare systems worldwide confront rising demand and resource constraints, the partners say AI — carefully governed and community-focused — could become a catalyst for more resilient and equitable care delivery.
