“DOGE Dives into AI Development at the Department of Veterans Affairs: A Comically Serious Endeavor”

“Inside DOGE’s AI Push at the Department of Veterans Affairs”

“The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is doing something extraordinary. It’s embedding artificial intelligence into its operations in an effort to predict and prevent veteran suicide—an issue that’s been termed a ‘public health crisis.’ More than 17 veterans die by suicide on average each day—a rate that’s 1.5 times higher than that of non-veteran adults, according to the department’s most recent figures.”

Taking an unexpected leap into the future, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has decided to launch itself headfirst into the intriguing world of artificial intelligence (AI). The goal? Combatting veteran suicide, a painfully profound issue that’s managed to ingrain itself in society as a “public health crisis”. Let’s be honest, if anyone is keeping tabs, more than 17 veterans are dying by suicide every day. It’s a statistic that feels like a slap in the face, especially considering it’s a staggering 1.5 times higher than non-veteran adults.

The VA, in its boundless wisdom, has deemed it necessary to incorporate AI into its operations. It’s an innovative approach to say the least. In the heady world of Veteran Affairs bureaucracy, going tech-savvy is certainly an unexpected twist. It is as if the bureaucratic Titanic is taking a detour and sailing straight towards an AI glacier. The outcome, however, is not to sink but to transform: to mold itself into something streamlined and efficient, capable of anticipating and preventing these tragic suicide incidents.

Thrusting their way into the complicated labyrinth of AI, the VA seems to be accessing some unique tools. Tapping into the matrix and using behavioral flags and data trends, the VA appears hopeful of preempting veteran suicides. It’s like Minority Report, just without Tom Cruise and the stylized action sequences – just pure, unadulterated data analysis.

But what may sound like a dystopian novel to some, the VA is harnessing as a lifeline. They’re concocting an intricate cocktail of medical histories, personal data, and an AI that will predict – and ideally prevent – the likelihood of a veteran’s suicide. Before the mind starts to run wild with the possibilities, just hold on. This isn’t Skynet or HAL or even Watson. It’s a plan: A big, brave, bold plan—something akin to throwing a hail mary on a football field.

So, here’s to the VA, bravely wading into the deep end. Just remember — while AI may promise a wealth of solutions, it’s no magic panacea. Here’s hoping the VA remembers that when they’re deep in code and algorithms trying to save lives. The future is here, and somehow, it involves AI and the VA in the same sentence. Let that sink in for a moment.

Read the original article here: https://www.wired.com/story/doge-department-of-veterans-affairs-ai/