The Trump administration is accelerating efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into U.S. health care, including federal projects exploring AI systems that could eventually diagnose patients, recommend treatments and prescribe medications, The New York Times reports.
The Department of Health and Human Services is developing Medicare reimbursement pathways for AI-supported care while advancing pilot programs involving companies developing autonomous AI doctors and therapy chatbots.
Supporters argue the technology could expand access to care, reduce costs and help address shortages, particularly for underserved patients. At the same time, some health officials and medical professionals warn that the technology is advancing faster than the evidence needed to establish its safety and effectiveness.
The FDA has approved more than 1,500 AI-enabled medical devices for specific tasks, such as identifying tumors and blood clots, but its existing regulatory framework does not fully address newer systems that operate more autonomously, including those capable of performing tasks traditionally handled by doctors.
The administration has also elevated Jared Seehafer, a former technology entrepreneur, to a newly created senior role focused on technology and AI, amid concerns from some FDA officials that Silicon Valley could have outsized influence over medical policy.
Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, a prominent AI investor whose son founded health care AI company Curai Health, has been influential in discussions with HHS officials. Meanwhile, federally backed projects are testing AI for mental health treatment and heart-failure management.
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