CMS Shifts Focus to AI Adoption Outcomes Over Usage Metrics
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is re-evaluating its approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption, moving beyond simply tracking the number of employees using AI tools to measuring the actual outcomes and benefits derived from these technologies. According to FedScoop, CMS Chief Information Officer Patrick Newbold highlighted this shift during a panel discussion in Bethesda, Maryland. The agency has reported that approximately 80 percent of its workforce interacts with AI tools, including its internal AI assistant, CMS Chat. Additionally, CMS has over 70 documented AI use cases in the Department of Health and Human Services’ 2025 AI use case inventory and utilizes generative AI tools through discounted contracts under the General Services Administration’s OneGov initiative. Newbold emphasized that while usage data remains valuable, it is no longer the primary metric for success. Instead, CMS is prioritizing the achievement of specific outcomes, viewing AI as a means to an end rath... 
