The AI Advisory Subcommittee was established under the auspices of the UTHealth Houston Information Technology Governance Council to provide guidance on the safe utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within UTHealth Houston, ensuring alignment with federal and state laws and regulations. Our mandate is to advise and consult on the implementation of AI systems, emphasizing ethical considerations and legal compliance.
Purpose
This charter defines the role and responsibilities of the AI Advisory Subcommittee in facilitating the safe, ethical, and lawful use of AI technologies across UTHealth Houston.
Scope
The AI Advisory Subcommittee’s scope encompasses:
- Advising the community on the safe use of AI across UTHealth Houston.
- Making commercial AI tools available to our community in a HIPAA-compliant manner.
- Supporting translational AI research/application in clinical settings
- Issuing guidance on the acceptable use of AI for education, research, and clinical care.
Objectives
The objectives of the AI Advisory Subcommittee are:
- To create and maintain a comprehensive inventory of automated decision-making software.
- To launch a centralized AI website with relevant resources and information.
- To advise on updating Business Associate Agreements (BAAs), collaboration agreements, and data protection contractual language reflecting new AI considerations.
- To advise on any other future AI-related subjects or community questions.
Membership
Members are appointed by the chair with consultations with the deans to represent various disciplines and departments relevant to AI technology, including but not limited to legal, compliance, information technology, research, and clinical operations. The chair’s appointments shall complement the expertise of the existing Subcommittee members and may include individuals with specialized knowledge or experience in AI applications.
The Subcommittee is chaired by the Chief Information Officer of UTHealth Houston and co-chaired by the Director of User Experience and Support for Innovation, Projects, and Research.
Major Accomplishments
- Completion of automated decision systems inventory to comply with HB 2060.
- Large training co lead by Microsoft and the School of Biomedical Informatics around Azure AI Foundry and Microsoft CoPilot
- Open AI HIPAA compliant partnership.
- Creation of workgroup of AI in teaching and learning.
- Establishment of an generative AI toolkit for the University.
- Creation of AI Hub for the University (coming Spring 2025).
- Drafted boilerplate language for all UTHealth Houston contracts establishing a clause limiting data sharing for the training of external AI models.
- Created a detailed AI survey engaging the UTHealth Houston community on their feelings and thoughts around AI and its usage at the University.
Meetings
The AI Advisory Subcommittee shall meet monthly to discuss ongoing projects, address emerging issues, and review progress toward objectives. Additional meetings may be called by the chair as necessary.
Reporting
The AI Advisory Subcommittee shall provide regular updates and reports to the IT Governance Council detailing activities, recommendations, and outcomes. Reports shall be submitted quarterly.
Review and Amendments
This charter shall be reviewed annually by the AI Advisory Subcommittee to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness. Amendments may be proposed by committee members to the chair.
Chair
- Amar Yousif, MBA
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Co-Chair
- Dustan Brennan
Director, User Experience and Support, Innovation, Projects, and Research
McGovern Medical School
Membership
- Diarra Boye
Executive Director IT Finance and Business Services
- Bruce Butler, PhD
Professor, Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine
Vice President, Research and Technology
McGovern Medical School
- Martin Citardi, MD
Professor and Chair, Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
Vice Dean, Clinical Technology
Memorial Hermann Chair
McGovern Medical School
- Bassel Choucair
Associate Vice President and Deputy Chief Information Officer
McGovern Medical School
- Mary Dickerson, MBA
Associate Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer
- Jeffery Frost, PhD
Professor, Integrative Biology and Pharmacology
McGovern Medical School
Assistant Dean, Graduate Education
MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
- Richard Halpin, MEd, EdD
Director, Educational Technology
School of Dentistry
- Xiaoqian Jiang, PhD
Chair, Department of Health Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Associate Vice President, Medical AI
Christopher Sarofim Family Professor in Biomedical Informatics and Bioengineering
McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics
- Yen-Chi Le, PhD
Executive Director, Innovation and Quality, Healthcare Transformation Initiatives
UT Physicians
- Chun-Teh Lee, DDS, DMsc, MS
Associate Professor, Periodontics and Dental Hygiene
School of Dentistry
- Tony Murry
Associate Vice President, IT Infrastructure
- Carolyn Pickering, PhD, RN
Professor, Research
Isla Carroll Turner Chair in Gerontological Nursing
Cizik School of Nursing
- Christina Solis, JD, MPH
Director of IT Governance Data and Privacy
- Christine Flynn Weaver, PhD
Director Licensing and New Venture Development
- Hulin Wu, PhD
Professor and Chair, Biostatistics and Data Science
Betty Wheless Trotter Professor
Dr. D.R. Seth Family Professor in Biostatistics
School of Public Health
- Guo-Qiang Zhang, PhD
Professor, Neurology
Distinguished Chair in Digital Innovation
McGovern Medical School
Vice President and Chief Data Scientist
