STAT+: What the midterms could mean for the future of health AI
The midterms highlighted the negative sentiment around AI across the U.S. How will those attitudes trickle down to legislating AI use in health care?
The recent midterm elections underscored the public's apprehension towards artificial intelligence (AI), as voters rejected measures supporting the infrastructure needed to operate this technology in various states. This sentiment aligns with polls indicating that a significant number of Americans perceive AI as having more adverse effects than benefits. The uncertainty surrounding how these attitudes might influence future legislation and policies on AI applications in healthcare is a key concern.
Lawmakers are expected to address several critical matters in the coming year, including state legislation proposing "sandboxes" for testing AI products, as well as potential federal laws to clarify the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) role and AI reimbursement policies. AI has become a source of concern, often portrayed as a "boogeyman" that evokes fear.
Eric Fish, a partner at Hooper Lundy & Bookman and former chief legal officer of the Federation of State Medical Boards, attributes this fear to the data centers associated with AI, seen as symbols of the Trump administration's perceived excessive collaboration with the tech industry.
Written by urgent.news from STAT News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
