The appropriate pathway depends on whether you are requesting a review of a new internally developed AI solution or an externally purchased application. These groups help ensure AI solutions are evaluated for appropriate use, security, compliance, and alignment with institutional needs before implementation.
| Governance Pathway | AI Accelerator | Clinical Applied AI Committee | Research, Education & Administrative Applied AI Committee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use this pathway for | AI applications or solutions that will be built internally | AI applications that will be purchased for clinical use | AI applications that will be purchased for research, education, or administrative use |
| Examples | Custom AI applications, internally developed AI tools, prototypes that may become institutional solutions | Clinical AI software, AI-enabled clinical workflows, purchased tools supporting patient care | Research AI tools, educational AI platforms, productivity tools, administrative AI applications |
| Primary role | Guides the development and evaluation of internally built AI solutions | Reviews purchased AI applications intended for clinical use | Reviews purchased AI applications intended for research, education, or administrative use |
| How to contact | AI Accelerator Intake Form | [email protected] | [email protected] |
Not sure where your request belongs?
Start with [email protected], and your request can be directed to the appropriate governance group.
AI Accelerator
The AI Accelerator (AIA), under the Center for Digital Healthcare Innovation (CDHI), serves as UTHealth Houston’s innovation pathway for internally developed AI solutions. The AIA supports teams in moving AI concepts from early-stage ideas through evaluation, validation, and development toward scalable, enterprise-ready solutions. While primarily focused on clinical innovation, the AIA also provides guidance for internally developed AI solutions supporting research and education. Through a multidisciplinary review process, the AIA helps define use cases, assess feasibility and workflow requirements, and address considerations related to privacy, security, compliance, accessibility, technology integration, and operational readiness.
The AIA functions as the front-end innovation engine for internally developed AI, providing a governed pathway from concept through pilot readiness and transition to the appropriate institutional governance structures. Its multidisciplinary membership includes representatives from clinical leadership, technology, AI and data science, legal, compliance and privacy, IT security, technology management, communications, revenue cycle, and sponsored projects, with additional subject-matter experts engaged as needed. The AIA manages the AI innovation intake pipeline and documents project decisions and progression; however, it does not set enterprise digital strategy, allocate enterprise resources, prioritize institutional projects, or approve major institutional investments.
Apply to the AI Accelerator
Submit an AI concept for review through the AI Accelerator intake form.
Clinical Applied AI Committee
The Clinical Applied AI Committee provides governance and oversight for externally developed or commercially purchased AI technologies intended for use in clinical environments. The committee evaluates proposed AI applications with consideration for patient care, clinical workflows, data use, privacy and security, regulatory and compliance requirements, and potential risks associated with implementation. It brings together appropriate clinical, technical, operational, and governance perspectives to determine whether an AI solution is appropriate for institutional use and what requirements should be addressed before implementation. The committee also helps promote a coordinated approach to clinical AI adoption by identifying overlapping capabilities, considering integration with existing systems and workflows, and ensuring that new technologies align with institutional priorities and responsible AI practices.
Research, Education & Administrative Applied AI Committee
The Research, Education & Administrative Applied AI Committee provides governance and oversight for externally developed or commercially purchased AI technologies supporting research, education, and administrative functions. The committee evaluates proposed applications based on their intended use, institutional value, data and privacy considerations, information security, compliance requirements, technical feasibility, and potential organizational risk. Its scope includes AI tools supporting areas such as research activities, teaching and learning, productivity, analytics, communications, and business operations. By providing a centralized review pathway, the committee helps departments evaluate new technologies consistently, reduce unnecessary duplication, identify appropriate safeguards, and determine whether proposed AI solutions align with institutional standards and priorities before they are purchased or implemented.