As artificial intelligence continues to grow, it comes as little surprise that this innovative tech finds numerous applications in the healthcare sector. Here’s what investors need to know before they buy in.
Healthcare AI is a subcategory of artificial intelligence: a term broadly applied to machines programmed to think like humans. And as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prevalent in our day-to-day lives, its applications continue to grow.
Healthcare AI focuses on the use of artificial intelligence to research, treat and prevent diseases. With artificial intelligence, we can assess complex data sets, streamline medical services and make groundbreaking discoveries. In turn, these discoveries fuel the advancement of new technologies and tools in the healthcare sector.
How do I buy healthcare AI stocks?
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We evaluate stock trading platforms against a range of metrics that include fees, ease of use, available securities and advanced tools to meet specific investor needs. We encourage you to compare stock platforms to find one that's best for your particular budget and goals.
Our pick for beginners. We chose Robinhood for this category because it offers commission-free trading and is easy to use. You can search for stocks by company name, and the mobile app is clean and intuitive to use.
Our pick for active traders. We picked Interactive Brokers for this category because it offers advanced tools and low fees for active investors and pros. The simpler IBKR Lite platform is aimed at less-active investors, but all users older than 21 must meet a $20,000 liquid net worth requirement for a cash account.
Our pick for building a portfolio. We chose SoFi for this category because it offers both commission-free stocks and a free robo-advisor. That means you can open an active investing account to pick and choose companies you want to invest in, and open a robo-advisor account to help you build a portfolio and manage how much risk you take on.
Healthcare AI stocks
Stocks in the healthcare AI industry scale from big names in artificial intelligence, like Alphabet, to niche medical device manufacturers, like Globus Medical.
Select a company to learn more about what they do and how their stock performs, including market capitalization, the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio and dividend yield. While this list includes a selection of the most well-known and popular stocks, it doesn't include every stock available.
Company summary
ABB Ltd manufactures and sells electrification, industrial automation, and robotics and motion products for customers in utilities, industry and transport, and infrastructure worldwide. Its Electrification segment provides electric vehicle charging infrastructure, renewable power solutions, modular substation packages, distribution automation products, switchboard and panel boards, switchgears, UPS solutions, circuit breakers, measuring and sensing devices, control products, wiring accessories, enclosures and cabling systems, and intelligent home and building solutions for integrating and automating lighting, heating, ventilation, security, and data communication networks. The company's Robotics & Discrete Automation segments provides industrial robots, software, robotic solutions and systems, field services, spare parts, and digital services. This segment also offers solutions based on its programmable logic controllers, industrial PCs, servo motion, transport systems, and machine vision. Its Industrial Automation segment develops and sells industry-specific, integrated automation, and electrification systems and solutions, as well as digital solutions, lifecycle services, and artificial intelligence applications for the process and hybrid industries. This segment also offers process and discrete control technologies, advanced process control software and manufacturing execution systems, sensing, measurement, analytical instrumentation, electric ship propulsion systems, and large turbochargers, as well as remote monitoring, preventive maintenance, asset performance management, and cybersecurity services. The company's Motion segment manufactures and sells drives, motors, generators, traction converters, and mechanical power transmission products. ABB Ltd has a strategic collaboration with IBM. ABB Ltd was founded in 1883 and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.
Alphabet Inc. provides online advertising services in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, and Latin America. The company offers performance and brand advertising services. It operates through Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets segments. The Google Services segment provides products and services, such as ads, Android, Chrome, hardware, Google Maps, Google Play, Search, and YouTube, as well as technical infrastructure; and digital content. The Google Cloud segment offers infrastructure and data analytics platforms, collaboration tools, and other services for enterprise customers. The Other Bets segment sells internet and TV services, as well as licensing and research and development services. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Globus Medical, Inc., a medical device company, develops and commercializes healthcare solutions for patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Its offers spine products, such as consists of traditional fusion implants, such as pedicle screw and rod systems, plating systems, intervertebral spacers, and corpectomy devices for treating degenerative, deformity, tumors, and trauma conditions; treatment options for motion preservation technologies, such as dynamic stabilization, total disc replacement, and interspinous distraction devices; interventional pain management solutions to treat vertebral compression fractures; and regenerative biologic products, comprising of allografts and synthetic alternatives. The company also offers products for the treatment of orthopedic trauma, including fracture plates, compression screws, intramedullary nails, and external fixation systems; and hip and knee joint solutions, including modular hip stems and acetabular cups, as well as posterior stabilizing and cruciate retaining knee arthroplasty implants. In addition, it distributes human cell, tissue, and cellular and tissue based products; and COALITION, COALITION MIS, COALITION AGX, MONUMENT, MAGNIFY-S, HEDRON IATM, HEDRON ICTM, INDEPENDENCE, INDEPENDENCE MIS, FORTIFY and XPAND families, SABLETM, RISE, RISE INTRALIF, RISE-L, ELSA, ELSA ATP, RASS, ALTERA, ARIEL, LATIS, CALIBER and CALIBER-L products. Globus Medical, Inc. was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Audubon, Pennsylvania.
Health Catalyst, Inc. provides data and analytics technology and services to healthcare organizations. Its solutions include a cloud-based data platform, analytics software, and professional services. The company was formerly known as HQC Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Health Catalyst, Inc. in March 2017. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in South Jordan, Utah.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets da Vinci surgical systems, and related instruments and accessories in the United States and internationally. The company's da Vinci Surgical System include surgeon's consoles, patient-side carts, 3-D HD vision systems, skills simulators, da Vinci Xi integrated table motions, and Firefly fluorescence imaging products that enable surgeons to perform various surgical procedures, including gynecologic, urologic, general, cardiothoracic, and head and neck surgical procedures. It also manufactures EndoWrist instruments, such as forceps, scissors, electrocautery tools, scalpels, and other surgical tools, which incorporate wrist joints for natural dexterity for various surgical procedures; and provides SimNow, a cloud-enabled simulation platform, which allows surgeons to learn and practice their surgical skills; Iris, an augmented reality imaging product for use in kidney procedures; and Intuitive Cloud that enables proactive monitoring and software updates. In addition, the company offers EndoWrist Stapler, a wristed stapling instrument for resection, transection, and creation of anastomoses; EndoWrist One Vessel Sealers that are wristed single-use instruments for bipolar coagulation and mechanical transection of vessels up to 7mm in diameter and tissue bundles that fit in the jaws of the instrument; E-100 generator, an electrosurgical generator; SureForm 45 Curved-Tip stapler; and SynchroSeal for sealing and transection with a single pedal press. Additionally, the company sells various accessories comprising sterile drapes for ensuring sterile field during surgery; and vision products that include replacement 3D stereo endoscopes, camera heads, light guides, and other items that facilitate the use of the da Vinci Surgical System, as well as Ion endoluminal system for biopsies. Intuitive Surgical, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Nuance Communications, Inc. provides conversational and cognitive artificial intelligence (AI) innovations that bring intelligence to everyday work and life. The company delivers solutions that understand, analyze, and respond to people - amplifying human intelligence to increase productivity and security. Its Healthcare segment provides clinical speech and clinical language understanding solutions that improve the clinical documentation process, from capturing the complete patient record to improving clinical documentation and quality measures for reimbursement. Its solutions include Dragon Medical One, cloud-based speech solution; computer-assisted physician documentation; diagnostic imaging solutions; Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience, a voice-enabled solution; and clinical documentation improvement and coding. The company's Enterprise segment primarily engages in using speech, natural language understanding, and artificial intelligence to provide automated customer solutions and services for voice, mobile, Web, and messaging channels. Its solutions include intelligent engagement solutions; Conversational AI; Engagement AI; and Security AI. Its Other segment provides voicemail transcription services. The company serves organizations across healthcare, financial services, telecommunications, government, and retail. Nuance Communications, Inc. markets and sells its solutions and technologies directly through sales force, as well as through a network of resellers, including system integrators, independent software vendors, value-added resellers, distributors, hardware vendors, telecommunications carriers, and e-commerce Websites worldwide. The company was formerly known as ScanSoft, Inc. and changed its name to Nuance Communications, Inc. in October 2005. Nuance Communications, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts.
Teladoc Health, Inc. provides virtual healthcare services on a business-to-business basis in the United States and internationally. It covers various clinical conditions, including non-critical, episodic care, chronic, and complicated cases like cancer and congestive heart failure, as well as offers telehealth solutions, chronic condition management, expert medical services, behavioral health solutions, guidance and support, and platform and program services. It serves health employers, health plans, hospitals, health systems, and insurance and financial services companies. The company offers its products and services under the Teladoc, Livongo, Advance Medical, Best Doctors, BetterHelp, and HealthiestYou brands. The company was formerly known as Teladoc, Inc. and changed its name to Teladoc Health, Inc. in August 2018. Teladoc Health, Inc. was Incorporated in 2002 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. offers life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and service worldwide. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets. Its Analytical Instruments segment provides instruments, consumables, software, and services for use in laboratory, on production line, and in field for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, government, environmental, and other research and industrial markets, as well as clinical laboratories. The company's Specialty Diagnostics segment offers liquid, ready-to-use, and lyophilized immunodiagnostic reagent kits, as well as calibrators, controls, and calibration verification fluids; ImmunoCAP for allergy and asthma tests, and EliA for autoimmunity tests; dehydrated and prepared culture media, collection and transport systems, instrumentation, and consumables; human leukocyte antigen typing and testing for organ transplant market; and healthcare products. Its Laboratory Products and Services segment provides laboratory refrigerators and freezers, ultralow-temperature freezers, and cryopreservation storage tanks; temperature control, sample preparation and preservation, centrifugation, and biological safety cabinet products; water analysis instruments; laboratory plastics products; laboratory chemicals; and pharma services. The company offers products and services through a direct sales force, customer-service professionals, electronic commerce, third-party distributors, and catalogs under the Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, and Patheon brands. The company was incorporated in 1956 and is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.
QIAGEN N.V. provides sample to insight solutions that transform biological materials into molecular insights worldwide. The company offers primary sample technology consumables, such as nucleic stabilization and purification kits designed for primary sample materials (deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and proteins), manual and automated processing for genotyping, gene expression, and viral and bacterial analysis, as well as silica membranes and buffers; secondary sample technology consumables, including kits and components for purification of nucleic acids and proteins from secondary sample materials, and molecular biology reagents; and instruments for nucleic acid purification and accessories. It also provides assay content consumables, such as kits, assays, reagents, and controls for identification and analysis of sequence-specific targets, such as DNA, methylated DNA, bacterial DNA, RNA, and miRNA with various technologies, such as PCR, pyrosequencing, and hybridization in assay and array format, as well as oligonucleotide synthesis, siRNAs, and bisulfite conversion; custom-developed and configured enzymes and products; assay foundation consumables; modular PCR system, one-step molecular analysis of hard-to-diagnose syndromes, fully integrated medium to high throughput PCR test analysis, and specialized instruments; and custom laboratory and genomic services. In addition, the company offers predefined and custom next-generation sequencing gene panels, library prep kits and components, whole genome amplification, etc.; bioinformatics solutions; and human ID/forensics sample collection consumables and human ID/forensics sample collection consumables. It serves molecular diagnostics, applied testing, pharma, and academia customers. The company has collaboration agreements with Amgen Inc.; CLIA-certified laboratories; NuProbe Global; and Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Venlo, the Netherlands.
There are numerous artificial intelligence ETFs, including the Invesco QQQ, iShares US Technology ETF and First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index. But if you’re looking for something specific to healthcare AI, take a look at the Robo Global Healthcare Technology & Innovation (HTEC).
The Robo Global Healthcare Technology & Innovation ETF was launched in 2019 by advisory and research firm Robo Global. It tracks over 80 US stocks in healthcare and artificial intelligence from the US and around the world.
Why invest in healthcare AI stocks?
To put it bluntly, there is high growth potential. The global AI healthcare market, worth $4.9 billion in 2020, is expected to grow to $45.2 billion by 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 44.9%, according to Markets and Markets.
Growth potential aside, artificial intelligence in the healthcare industry has the potential to produce lifesaving technology. AI developments in this sector can change how we identify and treat disease. And to see this in action, we need to look no further than Google’s AI research firm, DeepMind.
How DeepMind’s discovery will change healthcare
DeepMind announced in later November 2020 that its AlphaFold system had finally solved a protein folding challenge — one that had baffled and eluded the scientific community for decades. The successful passing of this protein folding test meant that AlphaFold could decipher the structure of proteins from an amino acid sequence in just a few days, a resource-intensive task that used to take years.
DeepMind’s breakthrough showcases how powerful and prevalent AI technology has and will continue to be in the healthcare industry. And this emerging trend presents an invaluable opportunity for investors seeking growth stocks.
Risks of investing in healthcare AI
One of the most critical risks facing healthcare AI stocks is competition. Companies in sectors like this — sectors on the cusp of significant growth — may be vulnerable to the self-imposed volatility of a highly competitive playing field.
Investors interested in these stocks have a challenging choice to make: invest in riskier small-cap stocks that may not survive the competition, or shell out hundreds for a single share of an already-established tech giant, like Google’s parent company, Alphabet.
Another consideration is governmental regulation. Tech companies are far from immune to regulatory disputes, and as the way we interact with this type of technology continues to evolve, some companies may be forced to reconsider their approach — a potentially time and capital-intensive process.
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Disclaimer: The value of any investment can go up or down depending on news, trends and market conditions. We are not investment advisers, so do your own due diligence to understand the risks before you invest.
Bottom line
Healthcare AI stocks have plenty of room to grow — and analysts are optimistic about this subsector’s potential. But governmental regulation coupled with a high degree of competition may threaten your investment in this category.
To invest in healthcare AI stocks, explore your brokerage account options with multiple platforms for the account best suited to your investment goals.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Some that do include ABB and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Shannon Terrell is a senior writer for Finder who has written over 400 personal finance guides. With a focus on investments and personal finance, she breaks down jargon-laden topics to help others make informed financial decisions. She studied communications and English literature at the University of Toronto.
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