The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the most extensive integrated healthcare system, established the National Artificial Intelligence Institute (NAII). VA is an ideal environment for advancing AI technology to benefit Veterans. It has the most comprehensive genomic knowledge base in the world linked to healthcare information.
The research and development capabilities for real-world impact and outcomes to ensure health and well-being for the National Veterans and Military Families Month in November.
VA also serves as the nation's most extensive training system for physicians and nurses. It trains nearly three-quarters of all U.S. doctors and nurses in the United States.
The NAII designs and collaborates on large-scale AI R&D initiatives, national AI policy, and partnerships across agencies, industries, and academia. It is a joint initiative by the Office of Research and Development and the Office of the Secretary's Center for Strategic Partnerships in VA.
The new NAII is incorporating input from Veterans and its partners across federal agencies, industry, nonprofits, and academia to prioritize and realize artificial intelligence (AI) research and development meaningful to Veterans and the public.
VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said: “VA has a unique opportunity to be an artificial intelligence leader. VA's artificial intelligence institute will usher in new capabilities and opportunities to improve health outcomes for our nation's heroes.”
VA uses AI to reduce Veterans' wait times, identify those at high risk for suicide, help doctors interpret cancer lab tests results, and choose effective therapies. AI uses computers to simulate human thinking, especially in applications involving large amounts of data. It is also being leveraged in the commercial technology sector and is seeing early uses in health care.
NAII is a joint initiative between VA's Office of Research and Development and Secretary's the Center for Strategic Partnerships. It will design, execute, and collaborate on large-scale initiatives and national strategy and build on the American AI Initiative and the National AI R & D Strategic Plan.
Press Release va.gov Dec. 5, 2019