Japan-based startup AI Medical Service Inc. (AIM), specialising in the development of diagnostic endoscopic artificial intelligence (AI), has signed a joint research agreement with Stanford University School of Medicine, one of the world's top medical research institutes, and will begin research activities soon. AIM is the first Japanese company to sign a joint research agreement with Stanford Medicine in the field of endoscopic AI.

AIM is now working toward receiving regulatory approval in Japan for its endoscopic AI product designed to identify early-stage gastric cancer. Its collaboration with Stanford Medicine will facilitate joint research designed to verify the applicability of Japanese endoscopic AI in the United States.

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death worldwide, and approximately 26,000 cases of gastric cancer are newly diagnosed in the United States each year.

Gastric cancer is noteworthy for its high prevalence among Asian communities. Stanford Medicine established CARE (Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education) in 2018 with the mission to improve health outcomes among members of the Asian community through increased knowledge and education.