Can AI really simplify complex healthcare and still feel human?

AI is revolutionising diagnostics, but complexity can leave patients, professionals, and brands feeling lost. Darja Irdam, Partner with Hall & Partners, explores how marketers can simplify the science, humanise the message, and build confidence in AI healthcare.

AI is changing the world of health diagnostics in ways that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. From spotting early signs of cancer to predicting cardiovascular risks, it promises faster, more accurate, and more personalised insights. But with that progress comes complexity. And complexity can be intimidating; not just for patients, but for healthcare professionals and even for the brands trying to bring these AI tools to market.

As powerful as AI has become, healthcare remains one of its highest-risk arenas, where mistakes can have real-world consequences for patients’ health and safety. Recognising this, global regulators have started to act: under the new EU AI Act, systems used in healthcare, pharma, and life sciences are formally classified as ‘high-risk,’ requiring transparency, traceability, and human oversight to ensure that innovation never comes at the expense of trust or patient wellbeing.

For marketers and brand managers, this is the real challenge. Winning people over won’t just be about how advanced the technology is. It will be about how well brands communicate with patients and make these conversations simple, human, and trustworthy

From data to dialogue: why words matter more than algorithms

Humanising AI in healthcare diagnostics

The idea of obtaining health insights from an algorithm can feel cold and impersonal. Even if the error rate is lower than a human doctor’s, many people may still struggle to accept a diagnosis concluded and delivered by an algorithm. That’s where empathy comes in. Brands within the diagnostics and healthcare space need to show people what AI is doing, why it matters, and how it helps, without overwhelming them with jargon or scaring them off with impersonal, robotic presentation.

Simplifying complex healthcare AI without losing accuracy

Tone of voice is a big part of that. A warm, conversational style makes AI feel supportive instead of intimidating. Even small touches, like giving a digital tool a ‘face’ or personality, can make people more comfortable using it. Ever wondered why the most successful examples of digital assistants have ‘human’ names, like Siri or Alexa?

Framing is everything. Instead of leading with ‘algorithms’ and ‘accuracy rates,’ brands could explain that AI gives people a better chance of catching something early, when it’s easiest and more effective to treat. That small shift makes the technology feel less like a black box that is here to replace a ‘warm’ human touch and more like a helping hand.

And then there’s how we talk about risk. Saying someone’s cancer risk has doubled sounds terrifying, even if it only went from 0.003% to 0.006%. Brands need to communicate numbers responsibly, so people understand the real meaning without panic or false reassurance.

Health literacy is often the biggest barrier. Most people don’t want (or need) a crash course in genomics or machine learning; they just want enough information to feel in control. A smart approach would be to provide tiered information: offering plain, simple explanations for most, while giving those who want it the option to dive deeper into the science.

How AI can support better patient–doctor conversations

AI won’t replace doctors, but it can help patients have better, more effective conversations with them. The reality is that many people discover new diagnostic tools online or through advocacy groups, but they often hesitate to bring them up with their GPs or specialists. Patients are often afraid to be seen like they’re cheating with Dr. Google.

This is a chance for brands to step in. By creating conversation guides or simple digital tools, they can empower patients to ask the right questions in the right way. Done well, this positions the brand as a bridge between patients and professionals, not as a disruptor of trust.

Although the following examples didn’t specifically use AI, they illustrate how consumer trust can be both earned and lost in healthcare communication. Amgen’s awareness campaign for lipoprotein(a), a hidden cardiovascular risk factor, did a great job of simplifying complex science without oversimplifying it. It showed how to turn a technical issue into a relatable health story.

Then there’s the cautionary tale of Theranos, which was billed as the ‘next big thing’ in healthcare that promised to change the world with a single blood test. It had the vision, the hype, and a charismatic leader who mastered the art of storytelling and put a human face at the centre of its highly technical brand but failed to back it up with real science. And when the truth came out, the whole thing came crashing down.

In the world of diagnostics and health comms, Theranos is more than just a scandal; it’s a lesson. It shows how powerful human storytelling and personality-based brands can be, but also how dangerous it becomes when the story is factually misleading. The real task is to protect what works: empathy, clarity, and connection. The science, transparency, and evidence are non-negotiable.

AI may be capable of transforming health diagnostics, but only if people trust it. Hall & Partners helps brands earn that trust by turning complex science into clear, human stories that build confidence in every conversation.

Six principles every diagnostics brand must follow to build trust in AI

Here are a few principles we think every diagnostics brand should live by:

• Show your data openly – great stories need solid proof

• Build empathy with evidence – speak human, but don’t lose the facts

• Set realistic expectations – bold visions are inspiring, but they need to be believable

• Prioritise safety – nothing is more important than accurate results for patients

• Be ready for questions – tough ones will come, so have clear, honest answers

• Humanise, don’t idolise – people should connect with your purpose, not just your CEO