Wow, folks, this is really surprising. Google is stepping back from direct control of one of its healthcare software projects and putting it into the hands of the Linux Foundation.
The nonprofit announced today that it intends to launch the Open Health Stack Software Foundation, a new vendor-neutral home for Open Health Stack, an open source platform designed to help developers build AI-powered digital health applications.
Open Health Stack isn’t a new project. Google launched it in 2023. Now, the company is contributing the project’s code and related assets to the new foundation, where development will be guided by a broader community instead of a single company.
Google is also backing the move financially. Google.org is providing a $3 million grant to help the foundation get off the ground.
The Linux Foundation says the project will focus on three main areas: core HL7 FHIR technologies for healthcare interoperability, the Open Health Stack Player deployment toolkit, and AI Commons, a model-agnostic initiative being co-developed with the World Health Organization to support AI in healthcare.
“Open source has already transformed enterprise software, cloud computing, and AI, and it will do the same for how the world delivers care,” said Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation. “The Open Health Stack Software Foundation brings together the global community of developers, health organizations, and implementers under a vendor-neutral, community-governed home, ensuring that the tools powering tomorrow’s AI-enabled health systems are built in the open, for everyone.”
Supporters include Google, Microsoft, Anthropic, the World Health Organization, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, OpenMRS, PATH, and UNICEF in an advisory role, along with several other organizations.
One interesting part of the announcement is the planned Implementer Program. Instead of limiting governance to large companies, the Linux Foundation says it wants startups, small businesses, and local developers in low- and middle-income countries to have a seat at the table.
Healthcare software isn’t exactly a flashy topic, but this move is worth watching. Google could have kept Open Health Stack under its own umbrella. Instead, it chose the Linux Foundation’s vendor-neutral model, a path that has helped many open source projects attract broader industry support over the years.
Support independent tech journalism
NERDS.xyz is independently owned and operated. If you enjoy my coverage of Linux, AI, hardware, cybersecurity, and tech culture, consider supporting the site on Ko-fi.
Support NERDS.xyz