To help achieve HHS's mission, the Office of the Chief Artificial Officer (OCAIO) set forth an approach and focus areas intended to encourage AI adoption; enable HHS-wide familiarity, comfort, and fluency with artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its potential; promote AI scaling with the application of best practices and lessons learned from piloting and implementing AI capabilities to additional domains and use cases across HHS; and spark AI acceleration by increasing the speed at which HHS adopts and scales AI and ML.
1. Strategic Approach
1.1 Leading Health and Human Services AI Innovation
HHS will prioritize the application and development of AI and machine learning across common enterprise mission areas in which HHS serves as a lead in health and human services innovation. HHS divisions will continue to lead in identifying opportunities for mission-driven AI solutions, mitigating risks appropriately, against a shared framework of federal and HHS guidance. Key HHS and division missions include:
- Regulating and overseeing the use of AI in the health industry
- Funding programs, grants, and research that leverage AI-based solutions to deliver outcomes
1.2 Partnering and Responding to AI-Driven Approaches within the Health Ecosystem
HHS will prioritize the application and development of AI across common enterprise mission areas that enable the Department to respond to the dynamic, shared needs of various partners in health and human services innovation, including:
- Collaborating with external partners, including academia, the private sector, and SLTT governments, to enhance programs and services through the potential of AI
- Identifying gaps and unmet needs in health and scientific areas that would benefit from government involvement and AI application
2. Governance and Execution
2.1 AI Council & AI Community of Practice
The HHS AI Council will be established to support AI governance, strategy execution, and development of strategic AI priorities across the enterprise. The AI Council has complementary objectives to:
- Communicate and champion the Department’s AI vision and ambition
- Execute and govern the implementation of the HHS enterprise AI strategy and key strategic priorities to scale AI across the Department
2.2 Focus Areas
The AI Council will invest in and align enterprise-level support for 4 key focus areas:
- Develop an AI-ready workforce and strengthen AI culture
- Encourage health AI innovation and research and development (R&D)
- Democratize foundational AI tools and resources
- Promote trustworthy AI use and development
