FDA AI Use Cases Surge 148% as HHS Agencies Accelerate Adoption

Federal health agencies ramp up AI deployments

Artificial intelligence adoption across the Department of Health and Human Services accelerated sharply in fiscal year 2025, with the Food and Drug Administration posting a 148% year-over-year increase in AI use cases, according to a new analysis from the Bipartisan Policy Center.

The growth extended across all major HHS agencies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded an 87% increase, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services saw a 78% jump, and the National Institutes of Health expanded AI use cases by 51%. Researchers compiled the findings by analyzing the official HHS Artificial Intelligence Use Cases Inventory, first reported by Fierce Healthcare.

While the CDC demonstrated the greatest relative growth, the NIH remains the largest overall user of AI within the department. The report notes that some increases may reflect enhanced reporting requirements rather than entirely new deployments.

Most projects remain in early stages

The development status of AI initiatives varies significantly across agencies, with substantial portions still in pre-deployment or pilot phases. At CMS, 40% of use cases are in pre-deployment, 14% are pilots, and only 16% have been fully deployed. The CDC has 29% in pre-deployment, 31% in pilot testing, and 35% deployed.

The FDA shows a different pattern, with 42% of its AI tools already deployed despite having the smallest pre-deployment pipeline at 13%. The NIH has achieved the highest deployment rate at 48%, though 35% of its projects remain in pre-deployment.

Generative AI solutions and natural language processing emerged as the most common technologies deployed across all four agencies.

Administration pushes AI-first strategy

The expansion aligns with broader federal directives to accelerate AI adoption. A January 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump directed the Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance on AI deployment across federal agencies.

HHS rolled out ChatGPT access to all employees in September 2025. The CDC became the first federal agency to deploy an internal generative AI chatbot for staff, while the FDA recently expanded capabilities of its internal AI tool, Elsa.

At a recent Bipartisan Policy Center event, CMS leadership presented the agency's Strategic Framework for 2026-2031, which positions CMS as an "AI first" organization. The framework includes plans to train thousands of employees on AI technologies.

Why it matters

The surge in AI use cases signals a fundamental shift in how federal health agencies operate, with implications for drug approvals, disease surveillance, Medicare administration, and biomedical research. The high percentage of pre-deployment projects suggests this expansion will continue, potentially transforming how the government delivers health services and regulates the healthcare industry. However, the concentration of projects in early stages also indicates agencies are still determining which AI applications deliver meaningful value versus experimental deployments.

In late March, the Trump administration unveiled a legislative framework for a single national AI policy designed to prevent states from enacting their own laws. Trump also signed an executive order on June 2 aimed at strengthening AI-enabled cybersecurity in government systems, which expands protections for rural hospitals and other critical infrastructure.

These findings were first reported by Fierce Healthcare, based on the Bipartisan Policy Center's analysis of federal AI inventory data.