Key Takeaways
- The Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative will host a panel on May 21, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET to examine how the United States can harness health data and artificial intelligence (AI) while safeguarding privacy and security.
- The discussion will focus on the strategic importance of health‑data accessibility for U.S. economic competitiveness and national security in the global AI race.
- Core questions include how to unlock the value of health data, what governance frameworks are needed for scalable innovation, and how U.S. policy compares with international approaches.
- Panelists will explore barriers to data interoperability, the evolving role of federal agencies, and emerging privacy and cyber‑risk challenges.
- Speakers bring diverse expertise from the White House National Security Council, congressional staff, and academic global‑health security backgrounds.
- In‑person attendees must present a photo ID; registration is required via the provided form.
- The event underscores the Cyber Statecraft Initiative’s mission to link geopolitics, cybersecurity, and technology policy to shape responsible statecraft in the digital age.
Event Overview and Purpose
On Thursday, May 21, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative will convene a panel discussion at the Capitol Visitors’ Center. The session is titled “The Future of Health Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI)” and aims to address pressing questions about how the United States can responsibly leverage health data to drive AI‑enabled healthcare innovations. By gathering congressional staffers, policy experts, and academic scholars, the event seeks to translate technical and regulatory challenges into actionable policy recommendations that support both innovation and public trust.
Importance of Health Data and AI for US Competitiveness and National Security
As AI technologies rapidly transform diagnostics, treatment planning, drug discovery, and population‑health management, the ability to access, share, and scale high‑quality health data has become a linchpin of U.S. economic strength and national security. Effective use of AI can accelerate medical breakthroughs, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance the resilience of the health‑care sector against biological threats and supply‑chain disruptions. Conversely, fragmented data systems or inadequate safeguards risk eroding public confidence, limiting innovation, and ceding strategic advantage to competing nations that are investing heavily in AI‑driven health ecosystems.
Central Policy Questions to be Addressed
The panel will focus on three interlocking questions that shape the U.S. approach to health‑data AI. First, how can policymakers unlock the latent value of health data—such as electronic health records, genomic information, and real‑world evidence—while ensuring robust privacy protections? Second, what governance frameworks, standards, and incentive structures are needed to enable scalable, cross‑sector innovation without creating regulatory bottlenecks? Third, how do current U.S. policies and initiatives compare with those of key global competitors, particularly the European Union, China, and Japan, in the race to lead in AI‑enhanced healthcare?
Discussion Topics: Interoperability, Governance, Privacy, and Security
Participants will delve into the practical barriers that impede data interoperability across hospitals, insurers, research institutions, and public‑health agencies. Topics include the adoption of common data models, application programming interfaces (APIs), and secure data‑exchange protocols. The conversation will also examine the evolving role of federal agencies—such as the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—in setting standards, funding pilot projects, and overseeing compliance. Privacy and security risks, ranging from re‑identification threats to ransomware attacks on health‑infrastructure, will be analyzed to identify best‑practice safeguards that balance openness with protection.
Speakers and Moderator Backgrounds
The panel features Ryan Berger, former Senior Advisor to the Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies at the White House National Security Council and now a Non‑Resident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub. His expertise bridges national‑security strategy and emerging‑technology policy. Reginald Darby Jr., a Professional Staff Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, brings congressional insight into legislative efforts to modernize veteran health‑care systems through technology. Moderating the discussion is Rebecca Katz, Director and Professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Global Health Science and Security, also a Non‑Resident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center. Katz’s background in global health security and policy provides a nuanced lens on how health‑data AI intersects with pandemic preparedness and biodefense.
Registration Details and Attendance Requirements
Interested parties must complete the registration form linked in the announcement to attend the event in person. A new policy requires all in‑person attendees to present a valid photo ID upon arrival at the Capitol Visitors’ Center, reflecting heightened security measures for Capitol complex gatherings. Virtual participation options are not explicitly mentioned in the source text, but the announcement emphasizes the need to RSVP via the provided form to secure a spot.
Related Initiatives and Cyber Statecraft Initiative Mission
The Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, housed within the broader Technology Programs, operates at the intersection of geopolitics and cybersecurity. Its mission is to craft strategies that inform responsible statecraft, safeguard technology users, and anticipate how emerging technologies shape international power dynamics. By hosting this panel on health data and AI, the Initiative seeks to illuminate how policy decisions in the health‑technology sphere reverberate through economic competitiveness, national resilience, and global strategic positioning—ultimately aiming to guide the United States toward a leadership role that upholds both innovation and democratic values.