The US Department of Health and Human Services published detailed rules on Friday for its new artificial intelligence health care challenges, days after announcing the initiative alongside the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The agency outlined eligibility, prize amounts and submission deadlines.

HHS said on Wednesday, July 22, that it would partner with OSTP to launch competitions aimed at accelerating AI tools for diagnosis, administrative efficiency and patient care. The Friday release set out the first challenge tracks and invited developers, universities and health systems to register.

HHS said the program forms part of a broader federal push to integrate AI into the health system while addressing safety, bias and data privacy concerns. An OSTP spokesperson said the challenges would prioritise tools that demonstrate measurable clinical or operational benefit.

The announcement drew attention from health technology firms and academic medical centers, which have sought clearer federal guidance on how AI systems will be evaluated and deployed. Patient advocacy groups urged the agency to build in transparency and oversight requirements before any tools reach clinical use.

HHS said additional challenge tracks and further guidance would follow in the coming months, with initial submissions expected later this year. Winning solutions could inform future regulatory and reimbursement policy.