Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly endorsed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, asserting that the technology could provide patients with “a second opinion that is much better informed than any doctor in the country.” Kennedy made the remarks during a “fireside chat” with Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday at the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) conference held at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C.
Kennedy, who has previously expressed skepticism toward established medical experts, highlighted the potential of AI to challenge traditional medical advice. He cited a conversation with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who reportedly told him it would be considered malpractice for doctors to make diagnoses or prescribe treatments without consulting AI tools. The health secretary framed AI as a tool to “free us from medical tyranny,” suggesting that it could question prevailing public health measures, including mask mandates, social distancing, and vaccine efficacy.
The conference, sponsored by corporations with vested interests in healthcare and AI—such as Walmart, the cancer screening company Grail, and AI firms Anthropic and OpenAI—also featured other administration officials, including Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin, and Medicare and Medicaid administrator Mehmet Oz. Although none of these officials were involved in planning the event, their significant presence gave the gathering a strong government affiliation.
The summit covered a range of health topics beyond AI, including psychedelic drugs, healthy eating, and chronic disease prevention, reflecting some of Kennedy’s broader policy interests. However, the conference faced criticism from various quarters, including some longtime Kennedy allies. Dr. Robert Malone, a vocal critic of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines who briefly served on a vaccine advisory committee under Kennedy before resigning, dismissed the event as a “grift.” Meanwhile, voices from grassroots factions of the MAHA movement, including conservative podcaster Alex Clark, questioned the exclusion of key original activists and the event’s corporate sponsorships.
The MAHA conference also highlighted divisions within the movement itself, which helped propel President Trump’s 2024 election campaign. Observers note the emergence of two strands: one aligned with corporate and Trump interests, as reflected in the conference, and another grassroots arm that Democrats are attempting to engage. Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a former Detroit public health official, presented a “Build a Healthier America” agenda focusing on environmental toxins, clean water, school nutrition, and pesticide reduction, but distanced himself from Kennedy’s stance against childhood vaccinations.
Notably, the conference agenda omitted vaccines as a topic entirely, and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, initially scheduled to moderate a session, was removed without public explanation. Media access to the summit was heavily restricted. Several major news organizations, including prominent newspapers, were denied press credentials despite the presence of numerous government officials. Organizers cited limited space, although the designated press area inside the venue remained largely empty.
Outside the event, some attendees and observers expressed concerns about the influence of corporate interests on the health policy discussions taking place. Critics stressed the potential conflicts posed by sponsors such as Walmart and health insurance companies. Meanwhile, supporters of Kennedy defended his advocacy for disrupting entrenched interests seen as obstacles to progress in healthcare.
The MAHA conference followed a related event hosted by the MAHA Institute, another Kennedy-linked organization, which focused on health care data policy. Kennedy was reported to have engaged with attendees at a private reception preceding Tuesday’s event.
As AI continues to emerge as a disruptive force in medicine, the debate around its regulation and integration into healthcare systems remains contentious, with officials like Kennedy pushing for an expanded role even as others call for caution and oversight. The ongoing evolution of the MAHA movement signals both shifting alliances and unresolved tensions over health policy in the lead-up to this year’s midterm elections.