From Strategy to Impact: Establishing an AI Corps to Accelerate HHS Transformation
To unlock the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), an AI Corps should be established, embedding specialized AI experts within each of the department’s 10 agencies. HHS is uniquely positioned for—and urgently requires—this investment in AI expertise, as it plays a pivotal role in delivering efficient healthcare to millions of Americans. HHS’s responsibilities intersect with areas where AI has already shown great promise, including managing vast healthcare datasets, accelerating drug development, and combating healthcare fraud.
Modeled after the success of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s existing AI Corps, this program would recruit top-tier professionals with advanced expertise in AI, machine learning, data science, and data engineering to drive innovation within HHS. While current HHS initiatives like the AI Council and AI Community of Practice provide valuable strategic guidance, they fall short in delivering the on-the-ground expertise necessary for meaningful AI adoption across HHS agencies. The AI Corps would fill this gap, providing the hands-on, agency-level support necessary to move beyond strategy and into the impactful implementation intended by recent federal actions related to AI.
This memo uses the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a case study to demonstrate how an AI Corps member could spearhead advancements within HHS’s agencies. However, the potential benefits extend across the department. For instance, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), AI Corps experts could leverage machine learning for more precise outbreak modeling, enabling faster, more targeted public health responses. At the National Institutes of Health (NIH), they could accelerate biomedical research through AI-driven analysis of large-scale genomic and proteomic data. Similarly, at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), they could improve healthcare delivery by employing advanced algorithms for patient data analytics, predicting patient outcomes, and enhancing fraud detection mechanisms.
Challenge and Opportunity
AI is poised to revolutionize not only healthcare but also the broad spectrum of services under HHS, offering unprecedented opportunities to enhance patient outcomes, streamline administrative processes, improve public health surveillance, and advance biomedical research. Realizing these benefits and defending against potential harms demands the effective implementation and support of AI tools across HHS. The federal workforce, though committed and capable, currently lacks the specialized expertise needed to fully harness AI’s potential, risking a lag in AI adoption that could impede progress.
The public sector is responding well to this opportunity since it is well positioned to attract leading experts to help leverage new technologies. However, for federal agencies, attracting technical experts has been a perennial challenge, resulting in major setbacks in government tech projects: Of government software projects that cost more than $6 million, only 13% succeed.
Without introducing a dedicated AI Corps, existing employees—many of whom lack specialized AI expertise—would be required to implement and manage complex AI tools alongside their regular duties. This could lead to the acquisition or development of AI solutions without proper evaluation of their suitability or effectiveness for specific use cases. Additionally, without the necessary expertise to oversee and monitor these systems, agencies may struggle to ensure they are functioning correctly and ethically. As a result, there could be significant inefficiencies, missed opportunities for impactful AI applications, and an increased reliance on external consultants who may not fully understand the unique challenges and needs of each agency. This scenario not only risks undermining the effectiveness of AI initiatives but also heightens the potential for errors, biases, and misuse of AI technologies, ultimately hindering HHS’s mission and objectives.
HHS’s AI Strategy recognizes the need for AI expertise in government; however, its focus has largely been on strategic oversight rather than the operational execution needed on the ground, with the planned establishment of an AI Council and AI Community of Practice prioritizing policy and coordination. While these entities are crucial, they do not address the immediate need for hands-on expertise within individual agencies. This leaves a critical gap in the hands-on expertise required to safely implement AI solutions at the agency level. HHS covers a wide breadth of functions, from administering national health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid to conducting advanced biomedical research at the NIH, with each agency facing distinct challenges where AI could provide transformative benefits. However, without dedicated support, AI adoption risks becoming fragmented, underutilized, or ineffective.
For example, at the CDC, AI could significantly improve infectious disease surveillance systems, enabling more timely interventions and enhancing the CDC’s overall preparedness for public health crises, moving beyond traditional methods that often rely on slower, manual analysis. Furthermore, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) could leverage AI to better allocate resources, improve program outcomes, and support vulnerable populations more effectively. There are great opportunities to use machine learning algorithms to accelerate data processing and discovery in fields such as cancer genomics and personalized medicine. This could help researchers identify new biomarkers, optimize clinical trial designs, and push forward breakthroughs in medical research faster and more efficiently. However, without the right expertise, these game-changing opportunities could not only remain unrealized but also introduce significant risks. The potential for biased algorithms, privacy breaches, and misinterpretation of AI outputs poses serious concerns. Agency leaders may feel pressured to adopt technologies they don’t fully understand, leading to ineffective or even harmful implementations. Embedding AI experts within HHS agencies is essential to ensure that AI solutions are deployed responsibly, maximizing benefits while mitigating potential harms.
This gap presents an opportunity for the federal government to take decisive action. By recruiting and embedding top-tier AI professionals within each agency, HHS could ensure that AI is treated not as an ancillary task but as a core component of agency operations. These experts would bring the specialized knowledge necessary to integrate AI tools safely and effectively, optimize processes, and drive innovation within each agency.
DHS’s AI Corps, launched as part of the National AI Talent Surge, provides a strong precedent for recruiting AI specialists to advance departmental capabilities. For instance, AI Corps members have played a vital role in improving disaster response by using AI to quickly assess damage and allocate resources more effectively during crises. They have also enhanced cybersecurity efforts by using AI to detect vulnerabilities in critical U.S. government systems and networks. Building on these successes, a similar effort within HHS would ensure that AI adoption moves beyond a strategic objective to a practical implementation, with dedicated experts driving innovation across the department’s diverse functions.
Case Study: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The FDA stands at the forefront of the biotechnology revolution, facing the dual challenges of rapid innovation and a massive influx of complex data. Advances in gene editing, personalized medicine, and AI-driven diagnostics promise to transform healthcare, but they also present significant regulatory hurdles. The current framework, though robust, struggles to keep pace with these innovations, risking delays in the approval and implementation of groundbreaking treatments.
This situation is reminiscent of the challenges faced in the 1980s and 1990s, when advances in pharmaceutical science outstripped the FDA’s capacity to review new drugs, leading to the so-called “drug lag.” The Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992 was a pivotal response, streamlining the drug review process by providing the FDA with additional resources. However, the continued reliance on scaling resources may not be sustainable as the complexity and volume of data increase.
The FDA has begun to address this new challenge. For example, the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research has established committees like the Artificial Intelligence Coordinating Committee and the Regulatory Review AI Subcommittee. However, these efforts largely involve existing staff who must balance AI responsibilities with their regular duties, limiting the potential impact. Moreover, the focus has predominantly been on regulating AI rather than leveraging it to enhance regulatory processes.
Placing an AI expert from the HHS AI Corps within the FDA could fundamentally change this dynamic. By providing dedicated, expert support, the FDA could accelerate its regulatory review processes, ensuring timely and safe access to innovative treatments. The financial implications are significant: the value of accelerated drug approvals, as demonstrated by the worth of Priority Review Vouchers (acceleration of four months = ~$100 million), indicates that effective AI adoption could unlock billions of dollars in industry value while simultaneously improving public health outcomes.
Plan of Action
To address the challenges and seize the opportunities outlined earlier, the Office of the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (OCAIO) within HHS should establish an AI Corps composed of specialized experts in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and data engineering. This initiative will be modeled after DHS’s successful AI Corps and tailored to the unique needs of HHS and its 10 agencies.
Recommendation 1. Establish an AI Corps within HHS.
Composition: The AI Corps would initially consist of 10 experts hired to temporary civil servant positions, with one member allocated to each of HHS’s 10 agencies, and each placement lasting one to two years. These experts will possess a range of technical skills—including AI, data science, data engineering, and cloud computing—tailored to each agency’s specific needs and technological maturity. This approach ensures that each agency has the appropriate expertise to effectively implement AI tools and methodologies, whether that involves building foundational data infrastructure or developing advanced AI applications.
Hiring authority: The DHS AI Corps utilized direct hiring authority, which was expanded by the Office of Personnel Management under the National AI Talent Surge. HHS’s AI Corps could adopt a similar approach. This authority would enable streamlined recruitment of individuals into specific AI roles, including positions in AI research, machine learning, and data science. This expedited process would allow HHS to quickly hire and onboard top-tier AI talent.
Oversight: The AI Corps would be overseen by the OCAIO, which would provide strategic direction and ensure alignment with HHS’s broader AI initiatives. The OCAIO would also be responsible for coordinating the activities of the AI Corps, setting performance goals, and evaluating outcomes.
Budget and Funding
Estimated cost: The AI Corps is projected to cost approximately $1.5 million per year, based on an average salary of $150,000 per corps member. This estimate includes salaries and operational costs such as training, travel for interagency collaboration, and participation in conferences.
Funding source: Funding would be sourced from the existing HHS budget, specifically from allocations set aside for digital transformation and innovation. Given the relatively modest budget required, reallocation within these existing funds should be sufficient.
Recruitment and Training
Selection process: AI Corps members would be recruited through a competitive process, targeting individuals with proven expertise in AI, data science, and related fields.
Training: Upon selection, AI Corps members would undergo an intensive orientation and training program to familiarize them with the specific needs and challenges of HHS’s various agencies. This also includes training on federal regulations, ethics, and data governance to ensure that AI applications comply with existing laws and policies.
Agency Integration
Deployment: Each AI Corps member would be embedded within a specific HHS agency, where they would work closely with agency leadership and staff to identify opportunities for AI implementation. Their primary responsibility would be to develop and deploy AI tools that enhance the agency’s mission-critical processes. For example, an AI Corps member embedded at the CDC could focus on improving disease surveillance systems through AI-driven predictive analytics, while a member at the NIH could drive advancements in biomedical research by using machine learning algorithms to analyze complex genomic data.
Collaboration: To ensure cross-agency learning and collaboration, AI Corps members would convene regularly to share insights, challenges, and successes. These convenings would be aligned with the existing AI Community of Practice meetings, fostering a broader exchange of knowledge and best practices across the department.
Case Study: The FDA
AI Corps Integration at the FDA
Location: The AI Corps member assigned to the FDA would be based in the Office of Digital Transformation, reporting directly to the chief information officer. This strategic placement would enable the expert to work closely with the FDA’s leadership team, ensuring that AI initiatives are aligned with the agency’s overall digital strategy.
Key responsibilities
Process improvement: The AI Corps member would collaborate with FDA reviewers to identify opportunities for AI to streamline regulatory review processes. This might include developing AI tools to assist with data analysis, automate routine tasks, or enhance decision-making capabilities.
Opportunity scoping: The expert would engage with FDA staff to understand their workflows, challenges, and data needs. Based on these insights, the AI Corps member would scope and propose AI solutions tailored to the FDA’s specific requirements.
Pilot projects: The AI Corps member would lead pilot projects to test AI tools in real-world scenarios, gathering data and feedback to refine and scale successful initiatives across the agency.
Conclusion
Establishing an AI Corps within HHS is a critical step toward harnessing AI’s full potential to enhance outcomes and operational efficiency across federal health agencies. By embedding dedicated AI experts within each agency, HHS can accelerate the adoption of innovative AI solutions, address current implementation gaps, and proactively respond to the evolving demands of the health landscape.
While HHS may currently have less technological infrastructure compared to departments like the Department of Homeland Security, targeted investment in in-house expertise is key to bridging that gap. The proposed AI Corps not only empowers agencies like the FDA, CDC, NIH, and CMS to enhance their missions but also sets a precedent for effective AI integration across the federal government. Prompt action to establish the AI Corps will position HHS at the forefront of technological innovation, delivering tangible benefits to the American public and transforming the way it delivers services and fulfills its mission.
This action-ready policy memo is part of Day One 2025 — our effort to bring forward bold policy ideas, grounded in science and evidence, that can tackle the country’s biggest challenges and bring us closer to the prosperous, equitable and safe future that we all hope for whoever takes office in 2025 and beyond.
The AI Corps is designed to be the opposite of bureaucracy—it’s about action, not administration. These experts will be embedded directly within agencies, working alongside existing teams to solve real-world problems, not adding paperwork. Their mission is to integrate AI into daily operations, making processes more efficient and outcomes more impactful. By focusing on tangible results and measurable improvements, the AI Corps will be judged by its ability to cut through red tape, not create it.
Innovation can present challenges, but the AI Corps is designed to address them effectively. These experts will not only bring technical expertise but also serve as facilitators who can translate advanced AI capabilities into practical applications that align with existing agency cultures. A key part of their role will be to make AI more accessible and understandable, ensuring it is valuable to all levels of staff, from frontline workers to senior leadership. Their success will depend on their ability to seamlessly integrate advanced technology into the agency’s everyday operations.
AI isn’t just another tool; it’s a force multiplier that can help solve those other pressing issues more effectively. Whether it’s accelerating drug approvals at the FDA or enhancing public health responses across HHS, AI has the potential to improve outcomes, save time, and reduce costs. By embedding AI experts within agencies, we’re not just addressing one problem—we’re empowering the entire department to tackle multiple challenges with greater efficiency and impact.
For top AI talent, the AI Corps offers a unique opportunity to make a difference at a scale that few private-sector roles can match. It’s a chance to apply their skills to public service, tackling some of the nation’s most critical challenges in healthcare, regulation, and beyond. The AI Corps members will have the opportunity to shape the future of AI in government, leaving a legacy of innovation and impact. The allure of making a tangible difference in people’s lives can be a powerful motivator for the right kind of talent.
While outsourcing AI talent or using consultants can offer short-term benefits, it often lacks the sustained engagement necessary for long-term success. Building in-house expertise through the AI Corps ensures that AI capabilities are deeply integrated into the agency’s operations and culture. A notable example illustrating the risks of overreliance on external contractors is the initial rollout of HealthCare.gov. The website faced significant technical issues at launch due to coordination challenges and insufficient in-house technical oversight, which hindered public access to essential healthcare services. In contrast, recent successful government initiatives—such as the efficient distribution of COVID-19 test kits and the timely processing of economic stimulus payments directly into bank accounts—demonstrate the positive impact of having the right technical experts within government agencies.
Collaboration is crucial to the AI Corps’ success. Instead of working in isolation, AI Corps members will integrate with existing IT and data teams, bringing specialized AI knowledge that complements the teams’ expertise. This partnership approach ensures that AI initiatives are well-grounded in the agencies’ existing infrastructure and aligned with ongoing IT projects. The AI Corps will serve as a catalyst, amplifying the capabilities of existing teams rather than duplicating their efforts.
The AI Corps is focused on augmentation, not replacement. The primary goal is to empower existing staff with advanced tools and processes, enhancing their work rather than replacing them. AI Corps members will collaborate closely with agency employees to automate routine tasks and free up time for more meaningful activities. A 2021 study by the Boston Consulting Group found that 60% of employees view AI as a coworker rather than a replacement. This reflects the intent of the AI Corps—to build capacity within agencies and ensure that AI is a tool that amplifies human effort, fostering a more efficient and effective workforce.
Success for the AI Corps program means that each HHS agency has made measurable progress toward integrating AI and related technologies, tailored to their specific needs and maturity levels. Within one to two years, agencies might have established robust data infrastructures, migrated platforms to the cloud, or developed pilot AI projects that address key challenges. Success also includes fostering a culture of innovation and experimentation, with AI Corps members identifying opportunities and creating proofs of concept in low-risk environments. By collaborating across agencies, these experts support each other and amplify the program’s impact. Ultimately, success is reflected in enhanced capabilities and efficiencies within agencies, setting a strong foundation for ongoing technological advancement aligned with each agency’s mission.
In anticipation of future known and unknown health security threats, including new pandemics, biothreats, and climate-related health emergencies, our answers need to be much faster, cheaper, and less disruptive to other operations.
To unlock the full potential of artificial intelligence within the Department of Health and Human Services, an AI Corps should be established, embedding specialized AI experts within each of the department’s 10 agencies.
The U.S. government should establish a public-private National Exposome Project (NEP) to generate benchmark human exposure levels for the ~80,000 chemicals to which Americans are regularly exposed.
The federal government is responsible for ensuring the safety and privacy of the processing of personally identifiable information within commercially available information used for the development and deployment of artificial intelligence systems