Alibaba’s AI cancer detection tool clears FDA hurdle for faster approval process

The tech giant’s Damo Academy secured a “breakthrough device” designation from the US regulator for its pancreatic cancer-detecting AI model, Damo Panda

A computed tomography scanner at Shenzhen United Family Hospital in Shenzhen on May 30, 2024. Site: Edmond So
Alibaba Group Holding’s research arm, Damo Academy, has secured a key endorsement from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cancer detection tool, as Chinese technology giants look to play a larger role in the global healthcare industry.

The FDA granted the “breakthrough device” designation to the research group’s Damo Panda model, allowing for an expedited review and approval process, Alibaba said in a statement on Thursday. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

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