Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai (pictured) told the World Economic Forum the companies still believe the health industry remains the most-likely beneficiary of AI over the next decade, due to the technology’s potential to improve patient outcomes, Reuters reported.

In a panel session, Pichai explained deployments of AI in the health industry over the next five to ten years would deliver profound differences in the outcomes of treatment of diseases including cancer.

“In lung cancer, for example, five experts agree this way and five agree the other way. We know we can use artificial intelligence to make it better”, he stated.

Addressing concerns by US lawmakers related to the search giant’s access to the health records of millions of citizens, he reassured when “we work with hospitals, the data belongs to the hospitals”.

He added there were strong regulations to protect privacy, which provided a framework for the company to operate within.

In June 2018 Pichai highlighted the company’s aim to focus on areas beneficial to society, including healthcare, energy and transportation, and advised the tech giant will not pursue the use of AI in weapons or surveillance.

The company recently moved to acquire fitness tracker company Fitbit, in an effort to strengthen its position in the wearables market. The deal, however, is under scrutiny by the US Department of Justice, as concern mounts over privacy implications.