U.S. FDA Unveils Next-Generation Agentic AI Tool to Boost Review and Regulatory Efficiency

Quick Highlights

• The FDA has deployed agentic AI capabilities agency-wide to help staff plan, reason, and execute multi-step tasks.
• More than 70% of employees are already voluntarily using the agency’s LLM-based tool, Elsa.
• The new AI functions will support meeting management, pre-market reviews, review validation, post-market surveillance, inspections and compliance, and administrative workflows.
• The FDA has launched a two-month “Agentic AI Challenge,” with outcomes to be showcased at the 2026 FDA Scientific Computing Day.
• The system operates within the high-security GovCloud environment and does not train on employee inputs or data submitted by regulated industries.

2Firsts, December 2, 2025 — According to an announcement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, the agency has rolled out agentic artificial intelligence (agentic AI) capabilities across all departments, offering employees an optional AI tool to support more complex, multi-step workflows.

Agentic AI refers to advanced systems capable of achieving specific objectives by planning, reasoning, and carrying out multi-step actions. These systems include built-in guidance mechanisms — including human oversight — to ensure reliable outcomes. Use of the tool is entirely voluntary for FDA staff.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency is steadily expanding its use of AI “to put the best possible tools in the hands of reviewers, scientists, and investigators.” He described the current moment as a pivotal point for modernizing the agency through innovative technologies, adding that the new tools could significantly boost the FDA’s ability to accelerate access to new therapies and treatments.

Prior to this deployment, the FDA introduced its large-language-model–based internal tool “Elsa” in May. According to internal data, more than 70% of employees now use Elsa voluntarily. Since its launch, program teams across the agency have continuously refined the tool to better integrate it into daily workflows.

The newly deployed agentic AI capabilities will further expand the FDA’s use of artificial intelligence in more complex tasks. The agency said the system can assist with meeting management, pre-market reviews, review validation, post-market safety surveillance, inspections and compliance, along with a range of administrative functions.

As part of the rollout, the FDA has launched a two-month “Agentic AI Challenge” for internal staff. Participants will build solutions using the new capabilities, with final demonstrations scheduled for the FDA Scientific Computing Day in January 2026.

Jeremy Walsh, the FDA’s Chief AI Officer, noted that reviewers have shown “creativity and forward-thinking” in adopting AI tools. He said agentic AI would further streamline their workflows and enhance their ability to ensure the safety and efficacy of regulated products.

According to the FDA, the AI systems operate within the high-security GovCloud — the U.S. government’s dedicated cloud platform. The models do not train on employee inputs or data submitted by regulated industries, ensuring that sensitive research and regulatory information handled by agency staff remains protected. The FDA sees this deployment as a key step in its broader AI strategy to more deeply integrate artificial intelligence into daily operations and raise overall efficiency.