The Basics and the Breakthrough Opportunities

Public health is one of the most important—and underdeveloped—frontiers for artificial intelligence. While AI is rapidly reshaping clinical care, its application in public health remains early, fragmented, and full of untapped potential. This session introduces participants to the current state of the field and provides a practical foundation for understanding how AI can support population health goals.

Participants will receive a clear, accessible introduction to core AI concepts and explore how they connect to established public health methods including epidemiology and real-world evidence. The session will examine approaches for developing ethical and responsible AI systems that center human and community agency and discuss how public health leaders can begin building AI literacy and readiness within their organizations.

The workshop will also address why adoption has moved slowly despite growing interest. Participants will explore common barriers—including fragmented data systems, weak cross-agency coordination, institutional risk aversion, and complex governance environments—and leave with a practical understanding of why advancing an AI-enabled public health agenda has become increasingly urgent for improving outcomes and reducing harms such as misinformation and inequitable access.