HHS launches AI initiative targeting chronic disease, pediatric cancer

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced July 22 that it will use artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced computing to accelerate biomedical research into chronic disease, pediatric cancer, and drug development. 

“America will lead the next generation of medical discovery by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a department press release. “We are mobilizing the nation’s best researchers to uncover the root causes of chronic disease, accelerate lifesaving breakthroughs, and help Make America Healthy Again.”

According to the release, the initiative includes the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-led Bio Genesis Mission, which aims to cut in half the time it takes for scientific discoveries to reach patients. HHS agencies, including the NIH, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, will contribute biomedical, genomic, public health, and safety data for researchers to analyze using AI. HHS said researchers will use the data with “appropriate security and privacy protection.” 

The department also said AI could help researchers analyze large, multidisciplinary datasets, detect previously unseen patterns, generate hypotheses more quickly, and identify potential approaches to disease prevention and treatment.

The effort marks HHS’ participation in President Donald Trump’s Genesis Mission, a government-wide initiative launched in November 2025 to use AI, advanced computing, and federal research resources to address scientific challenges. The HHS initiative also supports Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again agenda, according to the department’s announcement.

“Patients living with cancer, chronic disease, and rare conditions cannot afford to wait decades for scientific discoveries to reach them,” NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya said in the release. “Through the Bio Genesis Mission, we are harnessing artificial intelligence and advanced computing to help researchers uncover the root causes of disease, accelerate the development of new treatments, and build a biomedical research ecosystem that delivers lifesaving innovations to patients faster.”

He added that the project will uphold “the rigorous scientific standards and responsible stewardship that earn the public’s trust.”