China has launched its first large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) model dedicated to rare diseases, dubbed “Bomch-Genesis”, at the Beijing Union Medical College Hospital, which is a leader in rare disease treatment in the country.

The large language model was developed jointly by the Hospital and the Automation Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. General tests on the model’s ability to complete initial diagnostic consultations and to book appointments have recently begun.

Zhang Xueyang, president of the hospital, explained that based on the accumulated knowledge of rare diseases in China and genetic data from its population, BOMCH-Genesis is the world’s first rare disease model tailored to Chinese demographics, and can help clinicians identify and diagnose rare diseases more accurately and efficiently, and further shorten the diagnosis time.