Fujitsu has signed a contract with AI Healthcare and Andalusia. Credit: Tk Kurikawa, globalnewsphere
Fujitsu, the company behind the UK Post’s infamous Horizon IT system, has secured a major contract to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) software for Andalucia’s healthcare systems.
The Japanese tech giant, which has denounced one of the UK’s worst judicial miscarriages, is opening an AI lab in southern Spain as part of an effort to digitalize public health services.
Post Office Horizon Scandal casts a long shadow on Fujii
The transaction, despite Fujitsu’s central role in the UK post office scandal, has resulted in over 700 subpostmasters being falsely convicted of fraud, theft and false accounting. The flawed system created a false financial shortage, with devastating consequences for the accused. Many lost their jobs, homes and reputations and were sentenced to prison before their names were cleared.
A British Parliamentary investigation criticized Fuji for failing to deal with the error and take responsibility faster. Since then, the company has apologised and pledged compensation, but the victim says the process is slow and insufficient.
News of the Andalusian contract rekindled outrage and raised concerns about its suitability for processing Fujitsu’s sensitive healthcare data.
Alan Bates, founder of Subpostmasters’ Justice, Guardian“Fujitsu’s involvement in public services should raise alarms. They have caused great harm here in the UK, but they seem to be moving forward mostly with accountability. Spain needs to proceed with caution.”
Digital health expert Dr. Peter Bradley also warned of the risks, “supporting legitimate concerns about Fujitsu’s history and the ability to process important data, such as medical records. Trust is essential to healthcare, and given past failures, there are serious questions about whether it is suitable for this type of work.” (Erdecano)
Fujitsu claims that the errors in Horizon software are not intentional, and says the lessons learned. The company claims that current systems meet “highest standards of accuracy and security,” and that AI has great potential to improve the diagnosis and efficiency of diseases within healthcare.
For Andalusia, the deal marks a bold move towards modernizing its health services. However, given Fujitsu’s checkered past, critics argue that Spain may be taking major gambling by leaving patient records and medical data to companies that still highly doubt.
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