Concerns are growing over the unequal access to biomedical data in the global AI race, as countries like China collect vast amounts of data but restrict sharing, while Europe tightens control over its databases.

China's Data Hoarding

China has amassed a significant amount of biomedical data but maintains strict limitations on sharing it internationally. This has raised concerns among researchers like geneticist Jingyuan Fu, who felt a mix of pride and unease when an AI group in China downloaded a large biomedical dataset her team developed in Europe.

Europe's Controlled Access

Europe, on the other hand, is constructing an AI data ecosystem that is primarily governed by public entities. While this system is interoperable and regulated, access to data for AI development is strictly controlled and application-based. This shift comes after decades of promoting open science, with governments now emphasizing data sovereignty—the idea that sensitive datasets should remain under national control.

Defensive Stance in Brussels

The European Commission is adopting a defensive stance, expressing embarrassment over past policies that allowed Chinese AI developers to access European biomedical databases. Now, they are closing international access to these databases, reversing years of advocating for cross-border data sharing.

Impact on AI Development

Fu underscores that the quality of AI depends on the data it learns from. The current global imbalance in data access could significantly impact the development and effectiveness of AI technologies in the biomedical field.