Webinar | The role of public health practitioners in the age of artificial intelligence

Like the internet and social media, AI can be a double-edged sword, presenting both benefits and risks to population health and wellbeing. Implemented appropriately, AI could enhance population health responses through automation, extend our ability to reach underserved populations, deepen our insight into population health, and drive our ability to innovate. Already, AI applications are being used to conduct near-instantaneous literature reviews, develop new vaccines, and facilitate novel surveillance mechanisms. These advancements can boost healthcare capacity and increase accessibility while elevating standards of care, particularly in the face of growing population health needs and limited resources. However, new AI tools also carry inherent risks, necessitating a thoughtful approach to mitigation. Given the profound societal shifts that AI can bring about, the negative repercussions of poorly managed AI policies can be monumental. It is crucial to effectively mitigate these adverse effects to fully harness AI's positive potential, acknowledging that achieving this balance is a complex yet essential task. In this session we will explore the potential population health risks and benefits of AI, identifying possible use cases for public health work and discussing some governance considerations