IMSS Creates Internal Commission to Govern AI Use

Mexico’s Social Security Institute (IMSS) has created an internal commission to set rules for the development and use of AI, placing data protection and ethical standards at the center of its technology strategy as the country’s healthcare system faces mounting pressure.

IMSS says the new Internal Commission on Governance and Ethics of AI will establish guidelines to regulate how emerging technologies are designed, implemented, and used across the institution. The commission aims to ensure that AI projects align with institutional objectives, while safeguarding sensitive personal information belonging to beneficiaries and employers.

During an ordinary session led by Zoé Robledo, Director General, IMSS, and Claudia Vázquez, Director of Innovation and Technological Development, IMSS, outlined the rationale behind the initiative. AI, says Vázquez, is already present in multiple initiatives within the institute, making it necessary to create a framework that provides oversight and consistency. She adds that the institute identified the need to regulate the various projects being developed around these technologies to ensure ethical use and tangible value.

The creation of the commission comes as Mexico’s healthcare system confronts long-standing structural challenges. Underinvestment, population aging, and the rise of chronic diseases have increased demand on public providers such as IMSS, which serves tens of millions of people nationwide.

Héctor Valle, Executive President, FunSalud, says that Mexico is one of the countries that invests the least in healthcare relative to its needs. This gap affects human resources, equipment, and infrastructure, contributing to shortages of specialists and hospital beds. According to Valle, most endocrinologists are concentrated in Mexico City, Jalisco, and Nuevo Leon, while states such as Campeche, Tabasco, and Guerrero have fewer than six specialists each. Hospital bed availability per capita remains well below OECD averages, with projected shortages expected to worsen by 2030.

In this context, IMSS officials argue that AI must be applied in a way that addresses system constraints rather than amplifying them. The commission’s stated objectives include guaranteeing the protection of personal data, supervising, and balancing the benefits and risks of emerging technologies, and establishing institutional standards for AI development and use. The focus is not only on innovation but also on accountability and uniform application across the organization.

Structurally, the commission will be chaired by the Directorate of Innovation and Technological Development. Its members include representatives from the Directorate General, the Unit of Integrity and Transparency, the Legal Directorate, the Directorate for Planning and Institutional Transformation, and the Coordination of Telecommunications and Information Security. Additional members will come from operational areas responsible for core processes, such as medical care and economic benefits, along with internal and external advisers. A dedicated working group will oversee AI implementation and operations across different fronts.

The scope of the commission covers a broad range of technologies that IMSS already uses or plans to adopt. These include machine learning systems, image identification and generation tools based on deep learning, computer vision applications used for pattern analysis in medical contexts, and natural language processing technologies such as chatbots and automated translation tools. Vázquez defines AI as technology designed to imitate how humans think and make decisions, underscoring the need for careful supervision when such systems are applied in healthcare settings.

According to IMSS, the governance model is intended to reduce operational risks, ensure appropriate and ethical use of technological resources, and allow AI projects to be deployed in a uniform and scalable manner under secure operating conditions. Over time, the model is expected to align with the policies of Mexico’s Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications, which seeks to unify federal government technology capabilities and follow international standards.

Valle explains that AI can act as a “co-pilot” for physicians by helping structure clinical records, analyze unstructured data, and support decision-making. Combined with telemedicine, remote monitoring, genomics, and robotics, AI could help extend care to underserved regions where specialists are scarce. However, he also emphasizes that technology alone cannot resolve fragmentation and access disparities without coordinated investment and policy alignment.

Public-private collaboration is increasingly seen as part of the solution. Valle points to initiatives involving international organizations, including the World Bank, aimed at strengthening Mexico’s healthcare system and preparing it for future health emergencies. Preventive, data-driven, and digital-first care models are gaining attention as a way to reduce long-term costs and improve outcomes, particularly for chronic and cardiometabolic diseases that place sustained pressure on IMSS facilities.

For IMSS, the new commission represents an institutional response to these broader trends. By formalizing oversight of AI, the institute is seeking to balance innovation with responsibility, at a time when demand for services continues to grow and resources remain constrained.