The collaboration between The MITRE Corporation and the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School to relocate the Health AI Assurance Laboratory, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Technology & Innovation Ecosystem Awards Program and a private business entity, was announced by the MassTech Collaborative on Wednesday.
Significance of the Initiative
The initiative aims to provide support for commercial programs catering to medical innovators and contribute to the development of national standards for the analysis of digital health technologies.
The primary objective of the endeavor is to create job opportunities while also facilitating the establishment of physical spaces conducive to collaboration, workforce training, and research and development focused on ensuring the safety of health AI products before their deployment.
The innovative health AI facility established by MITRE and UMass will offer practical experience and an opportunity for high school, undergraduate, and postgraduate students to enhance their AI assurance skills in preparation for careers in AI.
Yvonne Hao, the Executive Director of the Executive Office of Economic Development and co-chair of the national AI commission, emphasized that the new facility will enhance the healthcare AI industry under the joint leadership of MITRE and UMass Chan.
Through strategic partnerships and the provision of career pathways for students specializing in data analysis, informatics, and machine learning, the Health AI Assurance Laboratory presents a significant opportunity to foster growth in the AI ecosystem.
Emerging Trends
In March, MITRE inaugurated its inaugural AI Assurance and Discovery Lab in McLean, Virginia, with a mission to identify and address critical risks in AI-enabled systems.
During the launch at the Virginia headquarters, Charles Clancy, the Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, highlighted the importance of independently assessing the security, safety, and efficacy of AI systems in facilitating the integration of new technologies by government and businesses.
Given that disruptive technologies inherently introduce new risks, certification becomes pivotal for responsible AI deployment.
In a similar vein, HITRUST introduced an AI assurance initiative for healthcare in October.
The HITRUST AI Assurance Program aims to aid businesses in deploying AI by fostering proactive communication with AI service providers and enabling discussions on shared risk strategies.
Robert Booker, the Chief Strategy Officer at HITRUST, stressed the importance of organizations comprehending and collectively addressing risks to ensure the security and assurance of AI systems.
Statements from Key Figures
Michael Collins, the Chancellor of UMass Chan Medical School, expressed that current and future healthcare professionals will collaborate with MITRE and receive support from the Innovation Institute at MassTech to enhance patient care quality, effectiveness, and equity across communities.
Doug Robbins, Vice President at MITRE, highlighted the inauguration of the national AI Assurance & Discovery Lab at MITRE in northern Virginia and expressed eagerness to share expertise and resources with the UMass team. He emphasized that connecting both labs marks the initial step towards establishing a national network of AI assurance labs.
Andrea Fox serves as the Senior Editor of Healthcare IT News.
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Healthcare IT News is a publication by HIMSS Media.
