Digital and Intelligent Health Forum | Liao Jieyuan: AI reshaping healthcare services

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the healthcare services ecosystem, said Liao Jieyuan, chairman of WeDoctor Group.

Liao made the remarks on July 22 at the Digital and Intelligent Health Forum, part of the 2026 World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

In his speech, Liao shared his insights on how to use AI to upgrade China's healthcare system.

Liao highlighted the scale of China's healthcare system, noting challenges such as overburdened top-tier hospitals and underutilized grassroots facilities. While internet hospitals improve online access, he said that truly extending high-quality medical services across the network requires AI integration.

He outlined the development of a medical AI model built on clinical big data, standardized clinical pathways, and expert validation, ensuring the transition from "possibility" to "reliability".

According to Liao, WeDoctor currently serves more than 340 million users and works with over 300,000 physicians. The platform leverages extensive clinical data and expert systems to ensure safety, he said, adding that AI is embedded throughout diagnosis and treatment, with doctors increasingly adopting these tools in daily practice.

Liao proposed building a service loop around three intelligent agents: a doctor agent that brings together general practitioners and specialists; a user agent that provides risk assessment and personalized healthcare; and an effectiveness-based payment agent that supports a collaborative ecosystem.

He cited a case study in Tianjin that demonstrated the success of this model benefiting users, hospitals, doctors, and insurance providers.

Liao described AI-driven healthcare as a promising sector and said WeDoctor looks forward to working with all parties to build a sound digital and intelligent healthcare ecosystem.