On July 23, President Trump enacted the “Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government Act,” aiming to eliminate terms like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from federal AI systems. This executive order poses a significant threat to health equity by undermining efforts to address systemic racism embedded in medical algorithms, particularly those affecting marginalized communities. Research illustrates how biased AI tools can lead to misdiagnoses and inadequate care for Black patients. For instance, a 2019 study showed that a healthcare algorithm significantly underestimated the necessary care for Black patients due to its reliance on biased spending data. Current algorithms for kidney function and lung capacity further reflect systemic racism by incorporating race-based adjustments. Trump’s order hinders the development of fair AI, prioritizing perceived neutrality over necessary equity measures. This political maneuver could jeopardize lives, perpetuating existing healthcare disparities and silencing vital efforts to improve medical accuracy for all communities.
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