Bilbao 2026 — Designing the Next Layer of Health Data Collaboration

Health Data Forum Global Hybrid Summit | 24–25 September 2026 | Bilbao

Building on the momentum created in Wales and Dubai, the journey continued in Bilbao with a carefully curated gathering designed to cut through the noise.

The original Data First, AI Later movement began with a clear proposition: meaningful artificial intelligence cannot be built on weak, fragmented or poorly governed data foundations. That principle remains essential. But the conversation has evolved.

The challenge is to ensure that data is relevant, trustworthy, representative and capable of supporting better decisions in real health systems. This evolution is now expressed through Real Data, Better AI, a wider movement focused on rebuilding trust before scaling intelligence.

The Bilbao Summit explored the conditions needed to move beyond isolated solutions towards responsible implementation. At its core was a deceptively simple question:

How do we design collaboration environments where data, trust and decision-making can evolve together?

The programme brought together policymakers, clinicians, health-system leaders, data experts and industry partners to exchange perspectives and work across organisational, professional and national boundaries.

Discussions addressed data governance, interoperability, real-world evidence, trusted research environments, genomics, imaging and the practical integration of AI into healthcare. Running through these themes was a shared concern: how can we connect these elements into systems that people are willing and able to use?

For the Architecting Collaboration community, Bilbao was also a practical setting for facilitation, dialogue design and systems thinking. Panel conversations and collaborative tables created opportunities to examine differences, develop shared understanding and identify priorities for continued work.

The Summit has concluded, but the conversation continues. Session replays and live Bilbao Debrief Circles are extending the dialogue and inviting contributions to the Bilbao Declaration now in preparation.

Better AI depends on data quality, governance legitimacy, and the quality of the collaboration around it.

Watch the Summit recordings · Join the follow-up conversations