Strategy for Public Health Preparedness and Response to Artificial Intelligence Threats
This bill would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a formal strategy for public health preparedness and response to artificial intelligence (AI) threats, with a focus on biodefense and preventing misuse of AI that could endanger national health security. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must develop this strategy within 180 days of passage, in consultation with stakeholders including those building AI countermeasures and those with expertise in AI technologies. The strategy must include a framework, a clear set of duties and preparedness goals (with measurable metrics), a gap analysis, and concrete plans to address identified gaps—specifically targeting risks such as the development of biological weapons and creation of resistant pathogens. The bill also requires integrating this AI-threat strategy into federal all-hazards public health emergency planning and ensures that the strategy can be shared with Congress in a way that protects national security.
Key Points
- 1Mandated strategy development: The Secretary must produce a comprehensive strategy for AI-threat public health preparedness and biodefense within 180 days of enactment, after consulting with relevant stakeholders.
- 2Inclusions of the strategy: It must outline a framework, duties and preparedness goals (with success metrics), identify capability gaps, provide gap-bridging strategies, and propose measures to mitigate AI misuse risks, including biological weaponization and resistant pathogens, plus other risks identified by the Secretary.
- 3Stakeholder collaboration: The Secretary must consult with groups active in developing qualified countermeasures, security countermeasures, or qualified pandemic/epidemic products, as well as experts on AI technologies.
- 4National security protection in disclosures: The strategy submitted to Congress must be shared with specified committees in a manner that protects national security.
- 5All-hazards planning integration: The bill would amend existing all-hazards public health emergency provisions to ensure federal responses consider and align with the AI-threat strategy described in the bill.