In Conversation: A CEO’s Perspective on AI in Healthcare

As the healthcare sector grapples with rising patient demands, administrative overload, and inefficiencies in delivering personalized care, AI has emerged as a beacon of hope. From predictive analytics that anticipate health crises to AI-driven patient management systems that streamline care delivery, the potential to enhance healthcare outcomes is immense. But the path to widespread adoption remains fraught with challenges, ranging from data privacy concerns to the need for human oversight in sensitive medical decisions.

As healthcare professionals and organizations embrace AI, they must navigate the delicate balance between innovation and ethical responsibility, ensuring that technology amplifies human expertise rather than replacing it. In this context, Rainier Mallol, the CEO of CXGenies and a notable innovator recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 and MIT Innovators Under 35, provides a unique lens through which to explore the intersection of AI and healthcare. 

Q: In your experience, what do you foresee as the most transformative tech by 2025? 

Mallol:  By 2025, we’ll see agentic AI—AI that autonomously makes decisions and executes tasks—become a core driver of business and personal productivity. These AI systems will move beyond simple assistants to true collaborators, capable of taking on higher-level decisions and complex workflows. Rather than just handling repetitive tasks, they will empower individuals and teams by offloading time-consuming, tactical work. This will free up human talent for more strategic, creative, and value-driven roles. Industries will fundamentally shift, and businesses that embrace this transition will be able to scale faster, iterate more efficiently, and unlock new opportunities for innovation. 

Q: How do you see AI and automation evolving in the next few years? 

Mallol: AI is set to evolve from purely analytical tools to fully actionable solutions. We’re moving toward a future where AI doesn’t just process data—it takes action. For example, AI will handle real-time feedback, recommend proactive steps, and automatically launch solutions. This shift will accelerate business cycles, allowing teams to pivot faster, iterate more intelligently, and focus on creative problem-solving rather than manual, time-consuming tasks. AI will integrate deeply into decision-making processes, becoming a core part of the operational workflow. The result will be an environment where innovation thrives, and businesses become more agile and efficient. 

Q: Many companies struggle to balance innovation with risk management. How do you approach this challenge? 

Mallol: Innovation and stability aren’t mutually exclusive—they’re actually interdependent when executed with the right mindset. The key is to focus on the customer experience, both internal and external. When you keep the guiding principle of delivering real value to your customers, you create a natural balance between pushing the envelope and maintaining the reliability of your operations. Risk management doesn’t have to stifle innovation; in fact, aligning all teams around a shared vision of how technology will benefit the people it serves can help mitigate those risks. It’s about building sustainable, scalable solutions that stay grounded while still exploring new frontiers. 

Q: What motivated you to focus specifically on AI in healthcare? 

Mallol: There are two main reasons: one personal and one driven by opportunity. The personal reason is that healthcare has always been a significant part of my life. My mother is a doctor, my brother is a doctor, and many of my uncles and aunts are as well. Medicine has always been in my environment, even though none of them work in public health. This personal connection sparked my desire to apply technology to improve healthcare outcomes. 

On the other hand, the opportunity in healthcare was clear. The industry has vast potential for innovation, particularly in patient experience, which is where AI can play a transformative role. My personal background combined with the opportunity to drive real change in healthcare made AI the perfect avenue to explore. 

Q: You’ve mentioned the importance of AI in improving patient experience. Can you elaborate on that? 

Mallol: Absolutely. One of the areas where AI can have an immediate and profound impact is in the patient experience. Healthcare is often seen as an impersonal industry—patients are seen as cases, not as people with unique needs. AI can bridge that gap by enabling more personalized care. AI can process vast amounts of patient data, helping healthcare professionals better understand a patient’s history, preferences, and needs. This leads to more informed, targeted care, which ultimately improves the patient’s experience. 

Moreover, AI-driven solutions can reduce the administrative burden on healthcare providers. For instance, instead of healthcare professionals spending hours on documentation or looking for patient records, AI can handle these tasks, giving them more time to focus on patient care. This ultimately results in a better experience for both patients and healthcare providers. 

Q: Could you explain how your platform Artificial Intelligence in Medical Epidemiology AIME works? 

Mallol: Traditional epidemiology often relies on analyzing past outbreaks to infer where and how diseases might spread. While this is valuable, it’s a reactive approach. What we’ve done with AIME is create a system that uses AI algorithms to analyze over 246 variables in real time, such as weather data, satellite imagery, and historical disease patterns. This allows us to predict with remarkable accuracy the likelihood of an outbreak three months in advance. For example, in the case of dengue, our platform can predict the likelihood of an outbreak with over 88% accuracy. This predictive power enables authorities to take preventive actions, like targeted fumigation, long before an outbreak occurs, minimizing the impact. 

Q: Your career has taken you from predictive analytics in global health to AI-driven customer experience. How did you approach these shifts and adapt to disruptive technologies? 

Mallol: In my earlier career, I worked on predictive analytics to tackle disease outbreaks, an idea that was not widely accepted in the health sector at the time. Getting stakeholders on board was challenging, but it was all about empathy—understanding their concerns and speaking to the human benefits of our solution. It wasn’t enough to present the technology; we had to show how it would save lives, improve response times, and impact communities. That same mindset is what I carry into AI-driven customer experience today. Every disruptive technology, whether in health or CX, requires demonstrating not just how the tech works but how it creates tangible, real-world value for people. The key is to build trust by showcasing how it will improve their daily lives, streamline operations, and address their core challenges. 

Q: As a leader, how do you maintain a focus on the human aspect of technology? 

Mallol: In every product I’ve developed or company I’ve built, the human side of technology is central. The focus should always be on how the technology can make lives easier, more fulfilling, or more meaningful. Technology should be a tool that empowers individuals and communities rather than isolating them. As an entrepreneur, I always ensure that the human impact is at the forefront—whether it’s through improving patient care in healthcare or optimizing the customer experience in business. It’s about making sure that technology doesn’t replace human interaction but rather enhances it and amplifies the positive effects of human connection. 

Q: As technology becomes more intuitive, what skills do you think will be crucial for tech professionals to succeed in the future? 

Mallol: In the coming years, soft skills will become just as essential—if not more so—than technical skills. While coding and data science will always be foundational, the ability to effectively manage teams, communicate complex ideas clearly, and foster collaboration between humans and AI will define the next generation of leaders. As technology becomes increasingly commoditized and automated, the value of human expertise lies in the ability to orchestrate AI to serve customer needs and organizational goals. In essence, future tech professionals must not only be able to build the technology but also lead with empathy and vision, ensuring that solutions are aligned with the end-user’s pain points and aspirations. 

Q: What advice would you give to Gen Z or millennial entrepreneurs and tech professionals? 

Mallol: My advice is simple: Focus on understanding the people you’re serving. Whether you’re working in healthcare, customer service, or any other field, the only way to succeed is to deeply understand your target audience—their pain points, their needs, and what truly matters to them. I spent nearly a year talking to various stakeholders in my field, learning from them directly. It wasn’t just about asking questions; it was about understanding their lived experiences and getting to the core of their frustrations. This deep understanding leads to product innovation that truly resonates. Assumptions won’t get you far. Spending time with your customers—on the ground, face-to-face—is the only way to ensure you’re building something that meets their needs and adds real value. Don’t rely solely on forms or surveys; do the hard work of engaging with them directly. 

Explore more of the AI in the industry series.