Over the past decade, there's been no doubt that AI is positively impacting a number of industries, with medicine and healthcare being no exception. The use of AI and machine learning is already transforming many areas of the healthcare industry, ranging from patient-facing and customer service activities to improvements in overall care, diagnosis, and treatment. With the global pandemic being front-and-center in the minds of healthcare workers, pharmaceutical companies, and life sciences organizations around the world, AI has been applied to help physicians evaluate COVID-19-associated prognosis and needs. In particular, the US federal government has focused on AI in a variety of ways to address pressing needs. The Department of Veterans Affairs, a US Federal agency that provides healthcare services to eligible military veterans, and is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, is adopting AI to help address the wide ranging impacts of the global pandemic on the lives of patients and their families.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the National Artificial Intelligence Institute (NAII) for advancing the health and well-being of Veterans, as part of the commemoration of National Veterans and Military Families Month in November. 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 that is meaningful to Veterans and the public. "VA has a unique opportunity to be a leader in artificial intelligence," said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. "VA's artificial intelligence institute will usher in new capabilities and opportunities that will improve health outcomes for our nation's heroes." VA is an ideal environment for advancing AI technology to benefit Veterans.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has launched the National Artificial Intelligence Institute, with the aim of boosting the health and wellness of veterans through advanced AI and machine learning technologies. WHY IT MATTERS The institute will incorporate feedback from veterans and other partners across federal agencies, industry, nonprofits and academia, said VA officials. The goal is to "prioritize and realize" AI research and development that can help veterans and others. NAII is a joint initiative between VA's Office of Research and Development and Secretary's Center for Strategic Partnerships. Professionals there will design, execute and collaborate on strategies that build on the American AI Initiative and the National AI R&D Strategic Plan.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has opened a new artificial intelligence institute to pursue research and inform national strategy. The National Artificial Intelligence Institute, a joint initiative of the VA's office of research and development and the VA secretary's center for strategic partnerships, will work with public and private partners to carry out AI research and development projects, including efforts to apply AI to identify veterans at high risk for suicide or to help reduce patient wait times. The institute will also collaborate with federal agencies on national AI strategy. That includes building upon the American AI Initiative, the national AI strategy President Donald Trump established through an executive order in February. The American AI Initiative's goal is to promote AI innovation in numerous sectors, including healthcare.

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The Department of Veterans Affairs, the nation's largest integrated healthcare system, is centralizing the agency's efforts to advance its artificial intelligence research and development capabilities. The VA on Thursday announced the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence Institute, a joint initiative by the Office of Research and Development and the Office of the Secretary's Center for Strategic Partnerships. "VA has a unique opportunity to be a leader in artificial intelligence," said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie in a written statement. "VA's artificial intelligence institute will usher in new capabilities and opportunities that will improve health outcomes for our nation's heroes." The National Artificial Intelligence Institute will solicit, develop and execute flagship AI research and development projects--with veteran input--focusing on deep learning, explainable AI, privacy-preserving AI as well as AI for multi-scale time series.