On Monday in London, Oversonic Robotics CEO Paolo Denti warned that Europe must seize its narrowing chance to lead in agentic AI for healthcare, arguing that autonomous systems will shape hospitals’ future as global rivals advance rapidly through major medtech partnerships.
Europe may have fallen behind the US and Asia in generative AI (genAI) and large language models, but Denti believes a far more open frontier remains agentic AI, a next-stage technology centered on autonomous decision-making.
“Agentic AI is about performing real physical tasks and for machines to make real decisions, not just to support healthcare practitioners with generic information,” he said, emphasizing that Europe still has space to “play an important role” as the field matures.
Europe Eyes a Narrowing Window in Agentic AI For Healthcare
While AWS, Nvidia, and major medtech players such as Johnson & Johnson expand genAI partnerships for drug discovery and predictive analytics, agentic AI remains comparatively uncluttered.
McKinsey estimates that 70%–80% of medtech workflows and 75%–85% of pharma workflows could be transformed by autonomous systems. This early stage, Denti argues, is Europe’s best chance to compete before the sector consolidates.
Oversonic’s flagship robot, RoBee, showcased at the Bloomberg Tech 2025 Summit in London, is designed not to replace clinicians but to relieve pressure in hospitals facing staffing shortages. It supports neurological, cognitive, motorial, and linguistic rehabilitation, with pilot tests underway in a major neurorehabilitation ward in Rome.
Denti noted unexpectedly positive staff feedback, saying there was “a much higher degree of acceptability in working with the machine.”
The company is now seeking Class IIa medical device certification in Europe.
The broader healthcare AI market is accelerating quickly. GlobalData forecasts a $19 billion valuation by 2027, and McKinsey reports that 85% of healthcare respondents already use genAI. Yet as technology advances, a parallel challenge is emerging ensuring the workforce can keep up.
Workforce Readiness Becomes the Hidden Barrier
For a while now agentic AI for healthcare has been reshaping how medical technology is designed, validated, and regulated. As one industry analysis noted, “AI didn’t replace these employees. It changed what their job looked like.”
The FDA is approving 43% more AI algorithms year-over-year, and by 2030 the US medtech market is expected to hit $955 billion, with AI-in-healthcare projected to reach $188 billion.
But rapid adoption is exposing a skills gap. Engineers struggle to document AI behaviors in ways regulators accept; designers extend validation cycles while learning to override algorithmic recommendations; quality specialists must learn to recognize false positives or explain why AI outputs fall short of standards.
Ultimately, “the biggest barrier to AI success in medtech isn’t the technology. It’s workforce readiness.”
Experts recommend building AI literacy around three core competencies data fluency, technical capability, and analytical judgment and embedding these skills into everyday workflows. Success stories, such as Medtronic’s education program that promoted 20% of participants and saved $13 million in turnover costs, show how AI upskilling can strengthen innovation rather than threaten jobs.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the Tech industry. Keep an eye on our Medtech section to stay informed and updated with our daily articles.