We are delighted to share that Asif Mukhtar, Consultant Pharmacist and Founder of PharmBot AI, has been invited to join the National AI Ambassador Network, led by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

This national initiative brings together healthcare professionals, innovators, and policy leaders from across the system to accelerate the safe, ethical, and effective use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health and care. The network is led by Dom Cushnan, Deputy Director for AI at NHS England’s Joint Policy Unit, and supported by NHS Horizons — the NHS’s innovation and change team dedicated to driving large-scale digital transformation.

Becoming part of this network marks another step forward in PharmBot AI’s mission to support the responsible integration of AI into frontline pharmacy and healthcare practice.

🌍 The Role of the AI Ambassador Network

AI has moved from concept to reality across the NHS — from diagnostic imaging and predictive analytics to digital documentation and workflow automation.
But with its growth comes a responsibility: to ensure these technologies are developed, tested, and deployed in ways that are safe, transparent, and equitable.

The AI Ambassador Network exists to support that vision. It serves as a collaborative forum for healthcare professionals to:

  • Share insights and challenges from the front line
  • Learn about emerging AI technologies and regulatory frameworks
  • Build local capability and confidence in AI adoption
  • Influence the national conversation on AI ethics, standards, and governance

By connecting practitioners, innovators, and policymakers, the network helps ensure that the benefits of AI are realised responsibly and inclusively — supporting clinicians and empowering patients.

💡 PharmBot AI’s Perspective: Responsible AI in Pharmacy

Within healthcare, pharmacy is uniquely positioned at the intersection of clinical decision-making, patient safety, and data-driven service delivery.
Yet much of the current AI conversation has focused on secondary care and diagnostics, leaving pharmacy innovation underrepresented.

Through PharmBot AI, Asif has sought to bridge that gap — designing AI systems that are built for pharmacists, by pharmacists.
The company’s flagship platform, AIVAe, supports community and distance-selling pharmacies in managing clinical services, delivering structured consultations, and ensuring compliance and accuracy through intelligent automation.

What distinguishes AIVAe is not just its technology, but its philosophy.
Every design choice is guided by a simple principle: AI should amplify human expertise, not replace it.

“Pharmacy is a profession built on trust and relationships.
AI should strengthen that trust by improving safety, efficiency, and access — never by removing the pharmacist from the process.”
— Asif Mukhtar, Consultant Pharmacist & Founder, PharmBot AI

🧭 Aligning with NHS Priorities

The invitation to join the AI Ambassador Network reflects a growing recognition that AI has a vital role to play in transforming medicines optimisation and pharmacy services.
It also highlights the importance of aligning digital innovation with NHS values — transparency, safety, inclusion, and clinical accountability.

Asif’s involvement in the network will help ensure that:

  • The pharmacy perspective is embedded in national AI discussions
  • AIVAe’s development aligns with emerging NHS frameworks such as the NHS T.E.S.T. evaluation standard for AI technologies
  • PharmBot AI continues to operate within the highest standards of governance and data protection

Being part of this community also means learning from others — including leading NHS Trusts, academic partners, and innovators working on AI for diagnostics, workflow automation, and patient communication.

⚖️ Ethics, Trust, and the Human Element

The NHS’s approach to AI is clear: innovation must go hand in hand with ethics.
The National AI Strategy and frameworks like the AI Regulation White Paper and MHRA AI Airlock emphasise accountability, fairness, and explainability as non-negotiable pillars of responsible innovation.

PharmBot AI shares that ethos.
Our work on AIVAe incorporates explainable AI principles, human-in-the-loop validation, and transparent data usage policies — ensuring pharmacists remain firmly in control of clinical decisions.

The aim is not simply to deploy algorithms, but to build systems that are trusted, understandable, and auditable — systems that enhance the quality of care and reduce risk.

🚀 A Shared Mission for the Future

Joining the National AI Ambassador Network represents more than professional recognition — it is an opportunity to contribute to shaping the future of healthcare innovation in the UK.

Through active participation in the network, PharmBot AI will continue to:

  • Advocate for AI literacy and confidence among healthcare professionals
  • Contribute to policy conversations around clinical safety, governance, and standards
  • Share real-world insights from AIVAe pilots and pharmacy service delivery
  • Champion pharmacy’s central role in the NHS’s digital transformation

As the NHS develops a 10-year National AI Roadmap, engagement between innovators and the health system will be crucial.
PharmBot AI’s involvement ensures that pharmacy — often the first point of contact for patients — remains part of that conversation.

🔭 Looking Ahead

Healthcare is at a defining moment.
AI offers immense promise — from personalised care and predictive analytics to operational efficiency and workforce support.
But technology alone isn’t the answer. Progress depends on partnership, ethics, and clinical leadership.

By joining the AI Ambassador Network, Asif aims to represent not only pharmacy but a broader vision of AI that serves people, not systems.

PharmBot AI will continue to collaborate with health organisations, academic institutions, and regulators to demonstrate how responsible AI can support clinical teams and improve patient outcomes — safely, ethically, and transparently.

“The future of healthcare innovation isn’t about replacing professionals — it’s about reimagining how we use technology to extend care, improve safety, and restore time to the human interactions that matter most.”
— Asif Mukhtar

🩺 About PharmBot AI

PharmBot AI is an innovation-led digital health company developing AI-powered tools to support pharmacists and healthcare professionals.
Its platform, AIVAe, provides intelligent clinical and operational support for pharmacy services — enabling safer, more efficient care delivery in both NHS and private settings.

Learn more at www.pharmbotai.com