About

ILAI Academy is the public expression of a deeper professional question: how should serious people use AI well?

Dr. MTD Lakshan is a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon, Director at Nawaloka Hospitals, Honorary Senior Lecturer in Medical Education at the University of Kelaniya, and founder of ILAI Academy.

His experience includes past leadership of the Nawaloka Hospitals Research and Education Foundation and contribution to hospital AI policy. He no longer leads NHREF or owns hospital data-governance operations. His separate director role continues. His work sits at the intersection of clinical care, medical education, and AI-enabled thinking. Rather than treating AI as a novelty, he approaches it as a force that must be understood pedagogically, ethically, and operationally.

Why ILAI exists

Understanding, capability and judgement—not just polished output.

ILAI exists to help people use AI deliberately to develop their own understanding, capability and judgement.

The emphasis is on first principles, responsible adoption, and preserving the human core of learning, judgement, and care.

Current focus

The work is practical, educational, and institutional.

AI in medical education and faculty development
AI literacy for clinicians and healthcare leaders
Educational and advisory discussion of institutional policy and governance
Writing and speaking on learning, judgement, and responsible AI use

Human → AI → human

Attempt first. Use AI to challenge. Return to your own judgement.

Before asking AI, write your explanation of a non-sensitive learning question and identify what you do not know. Ask AI for alternative explanations and sources; check those sources yourself. Then close the tool and explain the idea in your own words.

Transfer question: can you apply the idea to a different example without AI? This is a practice principle, not a validated intervention or a guarantee of better learning.