OpenAI pilots AI programme to support primary healthcare across Africa

OpenAI is piloting a new initiative, Horizon 1000, aimed at applying artificial intelligence to primary healthcare delivery across Africa, starting with clinics in Rwanda.

In a statement, OpenAI said it is partnering with the Gates Foundation to commit $50m in funding, technology and technical support to the effort. The programme’s stated ambition is to reach 1,000 primary healthcare clinics by 2028, focusing on practical uses of AI to support overstretched health systems.

The pilot will begin in Rwanda and target frontline clinics and the communities they serve. OpenAI framed the project against a backdrop of persistent gaps in access to care. According to the company, primary healthcare remains inaccessible to around half of the world’s population, while sub-Saharan Africa faces an estimated shortage of 5.6 million health workers.

For a lay reader, primary healthcare refers to first-contact services such as clinics that handle routine consultations, maternal and child health, vaccinations and the management of common illnesses. These facilities are often the backbone of health systems, particularly in rural areas, but they are also where staff shortages and administrative burdens are most acute.

OpenAI said AI tools in Horizon 1000 could help address some of those pressures. One focus is supporting frontline health workers as they navigate complex clinical guidelines, which can be difficult to apply consistently in busy, resource-constrained settings. AI systems could provide decision support, helping staff interpret protocols and flag next steps without replacing clinical judgment.

Another target is administration. Documentation, reporting and data entry can consume a large share of clinicians’ time, reducing the hours available for patient care. OpenAI said AI could help reduce that burden, allowing health workers to spend more time with patients rather than paperwork.

“AI is going to be a scientific marvel no matter what, but for it to be a societal marvel, we’ve got to figure out ways that we use this incredible technology to improve people’s lives,” said Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI.

The company emphasised that the initiative is a pilot and that learning will be shared openly. Success, it said, will be measured not by the sophistication of the technology, but by tangible improvements in care delivery and support for the health workforce. That includes whether clinics are able to see more patients, make decisions more confidently and reduce burnout among staff.

Horizon 1000 reflects a growing interest among technology companies and global health organisations in applying AI to health systems in low- and middle-income countries. Proponents argue that such settings may benefit disproportionately from tools that amplify limited human resources. Critics, however, have cautioned that technology cannot substitute for investment in staff, infrastructure and basic supplies.

OpenAI did not provide detailed information on the specific tools to be deployed in the Rwanda pilot, nor on how data governance and patient privacy will be handled. These issues are often sensitive in healthcare, particularly where digital systems are being introduced at scale.

The partnership with the Gates Foundation signals an attempt to align the initiative with broader global health priorities rather than treating it as a standalone technology experiment. The foundation has long focused on strengthening primary healthcare systems, including through digital tools, and brings experience in evaluating health interventions in diverse settings.

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If the Rwanda pilot proves effective, the challenge will be scaling responsibly. Expanding to 1,000 clinics across different countries would require adaptation to local languages, health policies and disease profiles, as well as close collaboration with governments and health authorities.

For now, Horizon 1000 represents an early test of whether AI can play a meaningful supporting role in primary care, not by replacing clinicians, but by helping them cope with the realities of understaffed and under-resourced systems. Whether that promise translates into measurable improvements on the ground will determine whether the initiative remains a pilot or becomes a model for wider adoption.

The Recap

• OpenAI pilots Horizon 1000 to apply AI in clinics.
• $50 million committed by OpenAI and Gates Foundation.
• Aim to reach 1,000 primary clinics by 2028.