National index tracks AI health care regulations as policy patchwork grows

by Giles Morris, Cornell University

edited by Lisa Lock, reviewed by Robert Egan

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As artificial intelligence rapidly enters health care, policymakers and health systems are struggling to keep pace with the implications for how the technology should be governed to ensure patient safety, provider accountability, and overall equity.

To help address that gap, Brooks senior Will Moss '26 developed the Health and AI Policy Index (HAPI), a public database tracking health care AI legislation and governance efforts across a broad spectrum of regulatory frameworks. Using HAPI, Moss studied the emerging landscape of health care AI governance in the United States in a work recently published in npj Digital Medicine.

"HAPI was designed to make health care AI governance more accessible and understandable," Moss said. "Right now, policymakers, researchers, and health systems are all trying to navigate a rapidly changing regulatory environment. I wanted to create a centralized resource that helps people follow what's happening across states in real time."

The project catalogs legislation, executive actions, regulatory guidance, and voluntary frameworks related to artificial intelligence in health care across state, federal, and international jurisdictions.

"Because there is no single comprehensive framework governing health care AI, stakeholders must navigate a complex patchwork of policies emerging from a wide range of regulators and institutions," Moss said. "HAPI was designed to bring those developments together in one accessible place."

The interactive platform allows users to explore policies by jurisdiction, stakeholder group, and impact level, while also providing summaries, implementation considerations, and trend analyses.

The project drew on Moss's work in AI policy and governance at the Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health at Mount Sinai, where he gained firsthand exposure to how health AI is evaluated, implemented, and governed within health care systems. His previous experience with internships in federal and state government affairs also helped to develop a skill set in policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and navigating complex regulatory environments.

"Will's work demonstrates the kind of thoughtful, interdisciplinary policy research that will become increasingly important as AI reshapes health care," said Professor Sean Nicholson. "Resources like HAPI can play an important role in helping policymakers, researchers, and health systems navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape."

As AI systems become more integrated into clinical care, Moss said policymakers will need clearer frameworks around transparency, oversight, safety, and accountability.

"The future of health care AI won't just be determined by engineers or companies," Moss said. "It will also depend on the policies and governance systems we build around these technologies."

Moss said he hopes to help shape governance systems that ensure artificial intelligence is deployed in health care safely, ethically, and equitably.

Publication details

Will Moss et al, Mapping AI regulation in health care with the Health & AI Policy Index, npj Digital Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41746-026-02734-y

Journal information: npj Digital Medicine

Key medical concepts

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