Prof. Richard Painter Quoted by NBC News About FDA’s New AI Tool That Struggles With Simple Tasks

Professor Richard Painter, S. Walter Richey Professor of Corporate Law, was quoted by NBC News about the new Food and Drug Administration AI tool that could speed up reviews and approvals of medical devices such as pacemakers and insulin pumps that is struggling with simple tasks. When the tool was tested Monday with questions about FDA-approved products or other public information, it provided summaries that were either incorrect or only partially accurate. In addition, Prof. Painter said there are also concerns about potential conflicts of interest with use of the tool. He wondered whether there is a protocol in place to prevent any government official — such as an FDA reviewer using the technology — from having financial ties with companies that could benefit from AI. While the technology has existed for years, he said, it‘s still a new venture for the FDA. Prof. Painter said, “We need to make sure that the people involved in these decisions do not have a financial interest in the artificial intelligence companies that would get the contracts. A conflict of interest can greatly compromise the integrity and the reputation of a federal agency.”