HHS reveals overarching ‘AI ambition,’ lays out strategy for pursuing it

HHS has published a document that it says marks the department’s first concerted move to transform itself into an “AI-fueled enterprise.”

The paper is organized as a summary guide to steer HHS’s vision for advancing AI-incorporating projects throughout the department and beyond.

A section covering how HHS wishes to help advance AI-driven approaches within and without its org chart, for example, suggests the department is actively looking to collaborate with numerous healthcare AI stakeholders to “enhance programs and services through the potential of AI.”

The paper’s introduction includes a statement of the department’s “AI ambition.” This reads:

Together with its partners in academia, industry and government, HHS will leverage AI to solve previously unsolvable problems by continuing to lead advances in the health and wellbeing of the American people, responding to the use of AI across the health and human services ecosystem, and scaling trustworthy AI adoption across the Department.

The paper also announces the forthcoming establishment of the HHS AI Council, which will be charged with overseeing high-level objectives involving communicating, championing, executing and governing the overall strategy.

The publication’s release comes shortly after HHS announced the elevation of its own Oki Mek to the position of chief artificial intelligence officer (CAIO). Mek was previously a senior advisor to the department’s CIO.  

Read the seven-page strategy document here.

Dave Pearson

Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.

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