Ethical governance of medical AI: a qualitative study of stakeholder perspectives in Shenzhen’s innovation ecosystem

To investigate how stakeholders in Shenzhen—including regulators, developers, clinicians, and ethics committee members—understand and respond to the ethical challenges with medical AI. A qualitative study was performed using a semi-structured interview format involving focus group interviews. Shenzhen, China. Stratified purposive and convenience sampling were used. A total of 45 participants were recruited, including representatives from government agencies ( n = 5), industry ( n = 13), research institutions ( n = 13), and medical institutions ( n = 14). The study group developed a semi-structured interview guide for focus group interviews by experienced interviewers. Participants were encouraged to share their opinions and discuss personal topics. Data underwent thematic analysis and were coded and extracted using NVivo 11 software. The Chinese government and local authorities are promoting the AI industry with ethical governance in their plans. Key stakeholders in Shenzhen have concerns about safety and reliability of AI in healthcare, regulatory clarity in practice, responsibility allocation, and multidisciplinary cooperation. More explicit ethical guidance, better regulatory coordination, stronger cross-sector collaboration, and more institutional support are needed for ethical governance of medical AI. All stakeholders should address ethical issues in medical AI development and use. Shenzhen’s leadership in China’s healthcare AI can guide policy and practices in the city and other fast-growing areas.