Politico January 21, 2026
Artificial intelligence is promising to remake modern medicine, and now the government must figure out how to regulate it.
AI systems are already screening x-rays, acting as mental health therapists and enhancing ultrasound diagnostics. But regulators are scrambling to figure out how to apply laws established in the 20th Century to ensure the safety of medicine, and less technically fraught medical devices, to AI.
At the heart of the issue is the nature of the technology: Artificial intelligence is constantly learning and updating, while modern medical regulations are generally meant for static products. Think pain pills with formulas that remain the same for decades or artificial joints that last 20 years.
Does that mean AI-powered medical products need a new...
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