RFK Jr.'s Plan to Implement 'AI' Everywhere is a Disaster.
"Stop relying on experts."
During a 92-minute interview with Tucker Carlson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. laid out his vision for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Artificial intelligence, a term often considered vague, was mentioned several times. Kennedy emphasized that his department is in the midst of an "AI revolution" and suggested to viewers that they should stop trusting experts, implying that they should give more credibility to artificial intelligence rather than follow decades of scientific consensus.
He mentioned that AI tools are being used to identify waste, abuse, and fraud in the federal government, noting that this is part of an effort that has also led to the rehiring of hundreds of CDC employees who had been questionably terminated. Additionally, he stated that the CDC would use AI to analyze large volumes of data and make informed decisions about interventions, which reflects a somewhat superficial understanding of artificial intelligence.
Kennedy also indicated that AI would rapidly accelerate the drug approval process at the FDA, hinting that it could completely replace animal testing. This approach is not entirely new, as the FDA's announcement in April already mentioned a shift towards computational models instead of animal testing. However, experts warn that a comprehensive solution to replace animal models in biomedical research and drug development does not yet exist.
One of the most concerning aspects is Kennedy's mention of reforming the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is currently overseen by the CDC and has often been misinterpreted by proponents of anti-vaccine stances. Although the system allows anyone to report adverse effects following vaccination, research has shown that reports do not necessarily indicate a causal relationship.
Despite the fact that the VAERS system has been able to detect rare side effects, such as myocarditis associated with mRNA vaccines against COVID-19, anti-vaccine activists often misinterpret these data. It is unclear how AI will be integrated into VAERS under Kennedy's direction, although it is likely that he plans to automate the identification of vaccine-associated side effects.
The possibility that an AI-based vaccine risk assessment system could be developed fairly and accurately raises concerns, and public health experts have expressed doubts about Kennedy's ability to manage this without bias. Given his anti-vaccine positions and tendency towards conspiracy theories, some believe he might try to minimize accessibility and increase fear surrounding vaccines.
