According to a new report from the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), use cases for artificial intelligence across federal health agencies will skyrocket from 2024 to 2025, led by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which saw a 148% year-over-year increase.
Within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), AI use cases increased by 87% at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and by 78% at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) saw a 51% increase. BPC researchers analyzed the HHS Artificial Intelligence Use Case Inventory and compiled the report.
While all HHS agencies saw an increase in AI use cases in fiscal year 2025, the report notes that some cases may “reflect new reporting requirements rather than new developments.” While the CDC recorded the “largest relative growth,” the NIH remains the largest overall user of AI.
The researchers looked at the development stage of AI use cases across the NIH, CDC, CMS, and FDA, noting that most are still in the pre-deployment stage, “indicating that further growth is expected.” The breakdown by agency is as follows:
- NIH: 35% pre-deployment. 21% Pilot. 48% have installed it. and 20% retired
- CDC: 29% before implementation. 31% pilot. 35% have installed. and 8% retired
- CMS: 40% before implementation. 14% Pilot. 16% have installed it. and 3% retired
- FDA: 13% pre-deployment. 12% Pilot. 42% have installed it. And 0% for retirees.
Generative AI solutions and natural language processing were the most common tools used by all four government agencies, according to the report.
The increased use of AI reflects President Donald Trump’s administration’s broader goal to accelerate AI adoption across the federal government, citing a January 2025 executive order directing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue guidance on AI adoption in federal agencies.
In September 2025, HHS rolled out ChatGPT to all employees. The CDC was the first federal agency to deploy an internally generated AI chatbot for all employees, and the FDA recently expanded the capabilities of its internal AI tool, Elsa.
At a recent BPC event, CMS executives outlined the agency’s strategic framework for 2026-2031, the organization said. The framework positions the agency as an “AI-first” organization and includes efforts to train thousands of employees in AI.
In late March, the Trump administration announced a legal framework for a single national AI policy. It is intended to create safeguards and prevent states from enacting their own laws.
On June 2, President Trump also signed an executive order aimed at strengthening AI-enabled cybersecurity for government systems. The order, titled “Advancing Innovation and Security in Advanced Artificial Intelligence,” gives agencies 30 to 60 days to pursue challenges. The order relates to health care, so it extends protections to local hospitals and other critical infrastructure.
