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Just as the Internet, email, and social media have transformed the way we work and live over the past 30 years, easily accessible AI tools are rapidly changing our professional and personal lives. Just as with social media and the Internet generally, the specific impacts will be shaped by the choices we make and our ability to leverage new technologies to maximize benefits and reduce risks.
Consider some of the opportunities and risks we’re seeing now:
Public health leaders can respond to these challenges and opportunities by exploring the potential impact of AI, preparing for potential risks, and finding ways that AI can improve their services and strengthen their communities.
Numerous efforts are tracking and guiding the effective use of AI, including executive guidance for state government agencies, insights from communications leaders across industries, and exploration of the ethical use of AI in public relations. In health communication, much of the focus to date has been about AI in health care, but this year the Analysis and Response Toolkit for Trust (ARTT) project and the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) brought together a working group that is developing practical guidelines or best practices for the ethical use of AI in public health communication.
As leaders continue to explore these evolving technologies, they can take several practical steps to prepare within their organizations.
1. Build awareness and expertise: Lead by demonstrating your commitment and enthusiasm about exploring AI’s potential to improve your organization’s operations and impact. Solicit input from your employees about ways AI can enhance their efficiency and effectiveness and set priorities for your initial steps. Also tap into the expertise and perspectives of external stakeholders and consider pursuing collaborations with technology companies, academic institutions, and community organizations.
2. Establish governance policies: Bring together communications professionals, data specialists, community educators, IT professionals, and other relevant staff and partners to develop clear policies and procedures for data collection, storage, and usage to ensure compliance with privacy regulations and ethical standards. Include standards for when and how to disclose the use of AI.
3. Address ethical concerns and prioritize equity and inclusion: Ethical considerations — including transparency, privacy, accountability, and respect for individual autonomy — should guide the development and deployment of AI technologies for health communication. Engage diverse stakeholders to ensure that AI-enabled communication initiatives uphold ethical principles and promote public trust.
4. Think big, but start small: After identifying potential opportunities, encourage your staff to pilot a few applications that are low-cost and low-risk, and ensure that these trials follow the governance policies you’ve set. Implement monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the impact of AI-driven communication efforts on public awareness, behavior change, health outcomes, or other measures.
5. Invest in staff training: Provide training and professional development opportunities for communication staff and other employees to enhance their AI literacy and technical skills. Even if you decide to not use AI widely, staff should understand the basics of artificial intelligence and how it influences the information they and community members access and create.
AI presents unprecedented opportunities for public health executives to enhance communication effectiveness, engage diverse audiences, and address complex health problems. By carefully considering the challenges of AI usage, identifying opportunities for improvement, and taking practical steps to leverage AI responsibly, public health agencies can maximize the potential of AI to advance health outcomes in their communities.
This column first appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice. See the final authenticated version.
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