Lawmakers raise questions about security of health data shared with AI tools

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing in Dirksen building on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Several lawmakers raised questions on Thursday about whether federal guardrails are needed to protect Americans’ healthcare data that is voluntarily uploaded into artificial intelligence-powered tools, including how best to address related privacy considerations.

While medical devices and tools using AI capabilities are covered by HIPAA in healthcare settings, other third-party technologies — such as wearable devices or apps that users can download — do not have to abide by the same standards. 

During a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, members of the panel from both parties said the lack of security around these types of AI-powered tools raises broader concerns about the integration of this type of data into Americans’ medical records, and whether or not additional regulatory ...