NAIA CEO Testifies Before House Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing

Caleb Max Encourages VA Department to Utilize AI to Support Jobs, Improve Veteran Benefit Management

WASHINGTON, DC - National Artificial Intelligence Association (NAIA) President and CEO, Caleb Max, today testified before the House Veterans Committee on the use of technology and innovation for improving veterans benefits and disability claims.

Specifically, Mr. Max appeared before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization for a hearing entitled, “PACT Act Implementation: Modernizing VA Disability Claims Through Effective Technology.” The PACT Act legislation, passed into law in 2022, expands VA health care and disability benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service.

Since its launch in December 2024, NAIA has grown to be the largest nonpartisan business coalition in the U.S. dedicated to advocating for government policies that enhance AI innovation, support American AI leadership, and maintain global competitiveness for American companies building in AI. NAIA supports responsible AI deployment, transparency and accountability while enabling innovation, investment and economic growth.

During Mr. Max’s opening statement, he said, “I want to address directly the concern I know is in this room: that AI will replace the humans who approve veteran claims. It will not and it should not. Augmentation of work with technology is not a threat to the workforce. It is a force multiplier for it. And for veterans waiting months for a decision that determines their access to care and compensation, that difference is everything.”

Max continued, “The more VA employees and veterans interact with well-designed AI tools, the more trust is built. The goal is not to mandate adoption. It is to create enough successful experiences that resistance becomes the exception rather than the rule. Veterans have earned the right to a benefits system that operates at the speed and accuracy that modern technology makes possible. NAIA and its member companies stand ready to partner with the Veterans Affairs Department on an AI strategy with clear milestones, accountability measures, and a roadmap that treats AI not as an experiment, but as the operational backbone of a modern benefits system.”

NAIA represents hundreds of companies, with a presence in all 50 states and an aggregate market value of more than $750 billion. Its membership includes Fortune 500 companies, such as Oracle, HII, and Capital One, as well as numerous innovative start-up businesses.

To watch the hearing video, click here: https://veterans.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=7939