AI & Data Exchange 2026: PRAC’s Ken Dieffenbach on using AI tools to stay a step ahead of fraudsters

The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) continues to oversee over $5 trillion in pandemic-related emergency spending beyond its original sunset date in 2025.
PRAC, established under the CARES Act in March 2020, has been extended through 2034 and now focuses on new funding oversight beyond just COVID-19 relief.
PRAC implements artificial intelligence to analyze federal spending data and detect potential fraud more efficiently than human analysis alone.
PRAC aims to evolve from a “pay and chase” approach to preventing fraud proactively by using AI tools to flag anomalies before payments are made.
By validating simple datasets against others, such as the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File, PRAC identified millions of potentially fraudulent applications.
Fraudsters are increasingly matching government efforts in adopting AI and other technologies, requiring PRAC to adapt and keep pace with evolving threats.