HHS Provides Update on its Artificial Intelligence RFI

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued an update on its strategic efforts to accelerate artificial intelligence adoption in clinical care following a December 2025 Request for Information. This initiative, part of the Make America Healthy Again program, seeks to leverage AI to improve patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs as national health spending reached a record $5.7 trillion in 2025. The update highlights a significant industry demand for better inter-agency coordination and clearer regulatory frameworks to manage the risks of AI implementation while maximizing its deflationary potential.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched the Request for Information (RFI) to explore how regulatory, reimbursement, and research levers could enable AI adoption to address rising healthcare costs. With U.S. healthcare spending accounting for 18% of GDP in 2024 and projected to exceed 20.5% by 2034, the department is investigating how AI can automate administrative tasks and assist in patient health management. The RFI specifically sought input on how digital health frameworks should evolve to maintain patient safety while simplifying reimbursement structures to support efficient, deflationary technologies. The department received more than 7,000 comments from healthcare providers, researchers, and industry groups in response to the inquiry.

During a recent webinar, HHS deputy chief AI officer Arman Sharma and national coordinator for health IT Dr. Thomas Keane discussed the feedback, noting a broad consensus for better coordination across HHS agencies and clearer guidance on governance structures. Sharma emphasized that establishing trust through constant community engagement is necessary for the responsible and effective adoption of AI. While the HHS is keen to move AI beyond administrative applications into direct patient care to improve affordability and access, officials acknowledged significant hurdles. These include privacy and security risks, inaccurate outputs, biased data, and the potential for model degradation over time.

Several agencies within the HHS are already advancing specific AI initiatives, such as the Advanced Research Projects Agency’s development of AI agents for autonomously managing cardiovascular disease care. Additionally, the Administration for Community Living has launched a competition for developers to create AI tools that assist caregivers of older Americans with disabilities. Meanwhile, the FDA is working to provide greater clarity for developers regarding autonomous AI-enabled medical technologies and is developing regulations proportionate to the risk posed by AI tools throughout their lifecycle, coordinating closely with international regulators and professional groups.