<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Vice President JD Vance and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discussed artificial intelligence's potential to provide second opinions and serve as a check against health experts during a Make America Healthy Again-themed fireside chat on September 29, 2026.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Kennedy stated, "One of the things that is going to change is that we’re never ever again going to be able to be dominated by public officials who tell us trust the experts," which received applause from the audience at the Waldorf Astoria.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">He added, "Every American will be able to check their own medical advice. They’ll also be able to check the advice of public officials, and if somebody tells you masks work, trust the experts. AI may tell you otherwise." Kennedy emphasized that AI could provide insights that challenge conventional advice on social distancing and masks.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">At the MAHA summit, Vance and Kennedy aimed to engage a group that previously supported the GOP in the 2024 election but may be distancing themselves from the Trump administration ahead of the 2026 elections.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Kennedy noted that AI could assist patients in understanding their health records and provide second opinions. He stated, "By the time we leave, every American will have access on their cell phones to their own medical records," highlighting the potential for AI to analyze extensive medical documents in a short consultation time.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Kennedy also remarked that AI could help counteract what he termed "medical tyranny," referencing mandated vaccines. He suggested that AI could provide alternative perspectives on vaccine efficacy.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Vance supported Kennedy's views, stating, "the experts are not the experts in the same way; they don’t have the same control or monopoly on knowledge." He mentioned attending an AI-themed luncheon earlier that day at the White House, where business and tech leaders discussed a "morally binding" agreement to self-regulate AI.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Vance shared a personal story about a man who used AI to develop a treatment model for his wife, who was undergoing cancer treatment, illustrating AI's potential in healthcare.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The MAHA summit, organized by the MAHA Center, comes amid concerns from grassroots activists who feel disconnected from the Trump administration due to its alignment with corporate interests. Activists have expressed dissatisfaction with the summit's focus and speaker lineup.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Democrats are attempting to attract disillusioned MAHA voters ahead of the midterm elections, with candidates like Abdul el Sayed proposing policies aimed at improving public health.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Vance's participation in the summit appears aimed at reassuring the MAHA movement of continued support from the Trump administration, with several other officials also speaking at the event.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Earlier in the summit, Felipe Millon from OpenAI stated, "It is medical malpractice not to get a second opinion from AI today, and it is — these models are so good."</p>