O4 Hubs detail
O4 Hero Banner
Healthy, senior man running with group of friends

Ensuring responsible use of AI in health care

Discover how we responsibly use artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone.

O4 1 Column (Full)
O4 Text Component

 

What is responsible AI?

If we think of artificial intelligence (AI) as computer technology simulating human intelligence, then we think of responsible AI as the practice of ensuring that AI is designed and used fairly, ethically and safely.

Our Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (RUAI) program is inclusive of mechanisms and practices that ensure that AL/ML solutions are designed, developed and maintained following consistent, established standards.

Our guiding principles

The Responsible Use of AI Guiding Principles provide the foundation for all AI/ML work conducted across the UnitedHealth Group enterprise.

Reliability

Employ methods to test and monitor integrity, reliability and performance, with a focus on human oversight, designed to ensure that AI/ML solutions fulfill their intended uses.

Fairness

Identify opportunities to improve health equity and reduce health disparities by assessing AI/ML solutions for potential to introduce or exacerbate bias.

Accountability

Establish and execute processes, governance and monitoring with consideration of the end user experience and dependability of AI/ML solutions with processes that enable swift remediation of potential emerging issues.

Transparency

Monitor our use of AI/ML across the enterprise and understand how our AI/ML models are used and work, especially where AI/ML is used to inform decisions affecting access to healthcare or healthcare outcomes.

Privacy

Safeguard data privacy in the design, deployment and use of AI/ML solutions so that privacy practices are incorporated and consistent with applicable laws, regulations and policy requirements.

Continuous improvement

Recognize the rapidly evolving AI/ML landscape and innovations with continuous assessment and improvement of processes, application of industry best practices and of regulatory guidance.

O4 50-50 Content Block

Intelligently improving human experiences

We continually assess and improve our practices based on our own learnings, industry best practices and regulatory guidance. Through our AI/ML governance, we assess intended uses, the appropriate use of data, performance, fairness and bias testing results and provide ongoing clinical, legal, compliance, business and technical oversight.

O4 Testimonial
O4 50-50 Content Block
Video

See how using AI responsibly helps people live healthier lives

From improving the accuracy of a diagnosis to better predicting a patient’s response to treatment to managing care faster and more cost effectively, AI is already helping us make the health care system work better for everyone. See how AI was used to revolutionize the utilization review process.

O4 50-50 Content Block

Increased fairness, accuracy, and safety; reduced risk

We use AI/ML as inputs in the decision-making process and combine these with inputs from patients, providers, experts and partners, thereby helping to mitigate risks related to fairness, accuracy and safety, consistent with our guiding principles.

O4 50-50 Content Block

A review board of cross-functional expertise

Our AI/ML review board, the governance body for the RUAI Program, is comprised of senior leaders with cross-functional representation — including clinicians and clinical ethicists, business and operations leaders with analytics, technical, legal, compliance, regulatory and privacy expertise.