The U.S. House of Representatives is assembling a new task force on AI. As announced Feb. 20 by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority-party Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the move will bring together 24 representatives—12 from each party—who will work to stimulate American AI innovation while mitigating AI-related threats.  

Johnson and Jeffries have named Jay Obernolte (R-CA) to chair the group with Ted Lieu (D-CA) as co-chair. The task force’s first order of business will be laying out guiding principles, recommendations and policy proposals. For this it will rely on House members who have some expertise in AI and represent relevant committees of jurisdiction.

That may sound a little dull, but it’s probably a wise place to start, given the bipartisan build of the effort.

For now, spring is on the way and hope is in the air. That’s evident in remarks released with the announcement. Consider:

‘Because advancements in artificial intelligence have the potential to rapidly transform our economy and our society, it is important for Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to understand and plan for both the promises and the complexities of this transformative technology.’—House Speaker Mike Johnson

‘Congress has a responsibility to facilitate the promising breakthroughs that artificial intelligence can bring to fruition and ensure that everyday Americans benefit from these advancements in an equitable manner.’—House Minority-party Leader Hakeem Jeffries

‘The United States has led the world in the development of advanced AI, and we must work to ensure that AI realizes its tremendous potential to improve the lives of people across our country.’—House AI Task Force Chair Jay Obernolte

‘As a recovering Computer Science major, I know this will not be an easy or quick or one-time task, but I believe Congress has an essential role to play in the future of AI. The question is how to ensure AI benefits society instead of harming us.’—House AI Task Force Co-Chair Ted Lieu

‘The rise of artificial intelligence presents a unique set of challenges, and certain guardrails must be put in place to protect the American people.’—House Minority-party Leader Jeffries

‘As we look to the future, Congress must continue to maintain our country’s competitive edge, protect our national security, and carefully consider what guardrails may be needed to ensure the development of safe and trustworthy technology.’—House Speaker Johnson

Full announcement with task force roll here, broad press coverage here. 

Buzzworthy developments of the past few days.

• There’s no better place to establish AI’s role in U.S. healthcare than inside the country’s largest integrated healthcare system. That would be the Veterans Health Administration, which serves more than 9 million patients at more than 1,300 facilities. California Democratic Rep. Julia Brownley made the point at a House hearing Feb. 15. The VA’s implementation of AI “can be a model for other healthcare systems,” Brownley said. For this reason, she added, it’s crucial to ensure the department sets up best practices, procedures and guardrails “early on” in the technology’s implementation phases. Hearing video here, documents here.
   
• A strong majority of healthcare executives believe hospitals have realized no balance-sheet upsides at all from AI. However, almost all of 100 or so surveyed by Ernst & Young member firm EY say the initial financial investment in new tech will eventually offset the cost. Interpreting these and other survey results, EY Americas leader Mallory Caldwell says efficiencies created through automation and AI “have had positive impacts on both the provider and patient experiences, and it is only a matter of time until the ROI is realized.” More on the survey here.
   
• It doesn’t take a ‘dystopian novel enthusiast’ to see where AI monitoring of employees’ internal messages ‘could all go very wrong.’ So observes CNBC technology reporter Hayden Field. Field looks at one AI vendor whose product has capacity to help employers eavesdrop on 20 billion digital interactions involving 3 million employees across numerous communications platforms. Field quotes Amba Kak, executive director of the AI Now Institute at New York University. Using AI to watch workers’ words “results in a chilling effect on what people are saying in the workplace,” Kak says. “These are as much worker rights issues as they are privacy issues.” Read the article.
   
• The rapid ascent of generative AI could threaten the standing of preceding technologies on whose shoulders it often perches. These include traditional machine learning, edge computing, non-generative NLP, computer vision and data warehousing. A senior technology innovator and Forbes contributing writer fleshes out a few scenarios here.
   
• Along with VR and AR, AI is already pretty well dug into the field of mental healthcare. Writing in Psychology Today, a licensed clinical counselor looks at some areas of her profession in which these emerging technologies are either active or available. The contributor, Claudia Skowron, LCPC, acknowledges the now-and-future toolkits must be watched for inappropriate utilization. Still, she maintains, “it will be interesting to see how the field of mental health adapts to the inevitable advancements in AI”—and how clinicians and technology can “work together to improve mental health treatment.” Read the piece.
   
• However wonderful AI becomes, it should never be allowed to ‘diminish the human.’ Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak made the point to an audience of students and educators at High Point University in North Carolina Feb. 20. “The human, I think, should always be more important than the technology,” Wozniak added. “Put a lot of work into the technology to make it work in human ways rather than the human putting work into figuring out how the technology works.”
   
• What do creative thinking, active listening and attention to detail have in common? They’re all “soft skills” that are essential to healthcare and can be strengthened with exercises using generative AI. Leadership author and speaker Julie Winkle Giulioni tells how in a SmartBrief item.
   
• ‘As I reach the sixth rep, my legs are feeling it. I’ve done two sets on a squat rack and am nearing the end of my workout. I push through the last two reps and am eager to take a break.” And you thought hiring AI as your fitness coach would be easier than grunting and grimacing for an old-school human? How wrong you were.
   
• From AIin.Healthcare’s news partners:
   
  • Radiology Business: Radiology AI startup AZmed raises $16M in series A financing
  • Health Imaging: Ultrasound mobile app developer launches colorful training tool