Tali Talks: Anticipating the Future of AI

Welcome back to Tali Talks, our behind-the-scenes series where we sit down with the brilliant minds behind Tali AI to hear their take on the evolving healthcare AI landscape.

This time, we chatted with Amir Aein, someone who’s always thinking five steps ahead when it comes to AI’s role in clinical workflows. Our conversation ranged from cognitive science to product design, but the thread was clear: the future of AI is not reactive. It’s anticipatory.

From Step-by-Step to Seamless: The Shift Toward “Agentic AI”

“Right now, AI waits for input from the physician. But real care doesn’t work like that — it’s fluid.” – Amir Aein

Today, most AI scribes (including Tali) follow a defined set of steps, record, transcribe, review, submit. But Amir imagines a shift toward what he calls agentic AI: an intelligent assistant that anticipates what needs to be done, and acts without needing constant direction.

Think of it like moving from a manual car to one with adaptive cruise control. You’re still in the driver’s seat, but the experience is smoother, faster, and more responsive.

A Powerful Analogy: Cruise Control and AI Trust

“People didn’t trust cruise control at first either. But now, most of us wouldn’t drive without it.” – Amir Aein

Amir used one of our favourite analogies of the series so far: AI’s journey is like that of the car. First manual, then automatic, now adaptive. With every step, we surrender a bit of control in exchange for efficiency, as long as we trust the system.

The same applies to AI in healthcare. The more clinicians experience Tali and build confidence in its reliability, the more they’ll be open to letting it handle more of the mental load.

What Would a More Autonomous Tali Actually Do?

Imagine this:

• You're mid-conversation with a patient about their neck pain.

• They mention medication in passing.

• Tali proactively runs a medical search in the background and suggests potential interactions.

• No prompt. No extra clicks. Just useful, seamless support.
  

That’s the kind of experience Amir envisions, one where Tali doesn’t just wait for commands but makes intelligent connections on its own. It’s like having a human assistant who knows your workflow inside and out, and just gets what you need next.

Beyond the EMR: Becoming Workflow-Aware, Not Just EMR-Integrated

Amir challenged the idea that EMR integration should be the ultimate goal. Instead, he posed a bold vision: Tali doesn’t just need to work with the EMR, it can become workflow-aware and even workflow-elevating.

Why? Because unlike EMRs, which capture summarised data after the fact, Tali is present in the moment, during the actual patient encounter. That real-time access gives Tali a unique opportunity to help the clinician, and Amir believes it’s time we start building from that strength.

The Cognitive Load Conversation

One of the more philosophical threads of the conversation centered around cognitive load. Amir broke down how humans operate with two mental systems:

• System 1: Automatic, instinctive actions (like breathing, recognising colours or quickly answering simple questions like 2+5)

• System 2: Conscious, analytical tasks
  

Right now, Tali still requires too much from System 2. To truly save more time, the next step is for the AI to take on more of the “automatic” tasks, those the clinician would do instinctively, without needing to be told.

“If your assistant asks you something you’ve explained a thousand times… are they really saving you time?” – Amir Aein

The Path Ahead: Balancing Trust, Control, and Innovation

This kind of intelligent support won’t land overnight. And yes, some clinicians may feel uncomfortable relinquishing control. But just like automatic cars or adaptive tech in other industries, Amir believes trust will grow with time, transparency, and thoughtful implementation.

And importantly: clinicians will always have the ability to step in, take over, or say, “Not today.” The goal isn’t to remove them, it’s to amplify them.

Final Thoughts: From 10% to 90%

Today, clinicians might use Tali for one part of their workflow, maybe documentation. But Amir sees a future where Tali handles more and more of that burden, helping clinicians shift from fragmented tools to one intelligent assistant that can truly support care from start to finish.

Thanks for spending time with us in this edition of Tali Talks. Amir left us thinking deeply about what healthcare AI can (and should) become, and we’re excited to keep building toward it.

We’ll be back soon with more voices from inside Tali AI, and from the brilliant minds helping shape where we go next.

Got a question or topic you’d like us to cover? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you.