Robert F. Kennedy Jr has been talking about how artificial intelligence will revolutionise medicine.
Some of what he says I agree with. But after speaking with experts who have spent decades working with AI and healthcare data, I think some of Kennedy’s assertions warrant caution.
Speaking at the MAHA Summit in Washington DC last week, the US Health Secretary said AI could eventually give ordinary Americans access to a second medical opinion that was “much better informed than any doctor in the country.”
Kennedy argued that Americans would no longer have to be dominated by public officials telling them to “Trust the experts,” because they could verify medical advice for themselves.
He specifically pointed to officials asserting that masks work, that social distancing works, and that Covid vaccines prevent infection and transmission, suggesting “AI might correct that” and help free people from “medical tyranny.”
Others in the administration went even further, with HHS senior adviser Calley Means posting on X that it would be “medical negligence” for a doctor to give a patient advice without insisting they consult AI for a second opinion.
I often use Grok AI to search for studies, locate documents, and dig out references.
So, I asked it three simple questions on topics where Kennedy has taken firm, high-profile stances — do vaccines cause autism? Is fluoridation of the public water supply harmful? And does Wi-Fi cause cancer?