The virtual panel, “Public Health and AI,” brought together academic public health leaders to examine how AI is reshaping the field and what it will take to use these tools responsibly. 

Speakers included Laura Magaña, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH); Hilary Godwin, Ph.D., dean of the University of Washington School of Public Health and chair of the ASPPH board of directors; and Ashish Joshi, Ph.D., M.B.B.S., M.P.H., professor and dean of the at the University of Memphis School of Public Health.

Arsham Alamian, Ph.D., M.Sc., associate dean for health studies in the School of Nursing and Health Studies, opened the session by noting the growing importance of the topic.

“Public health is at a pivotal moment, and few topics are as timely and important as the role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of our field,” he said.

Elahe Nezami, Ph.D., professor and director of the online M.P.H. program, said the panel was designed to offer a timely and honest discussion of a fast-moving area.

“Our goal today is not to present definitive answers,” Dr. Nezami said. “Rather, it is to share what we understand at this moment, the current state of the field, while being honest about its limitations and the pace at which it is changing.”

Preparing the Public Health Workforce

Dr. Magaña framed AI as part of a broader transformation in higher education and workforce preparation, arguing that public health programs must respond with new models of learning and skill development.

“In academic public health, it is not just educating students. We are shaping the future workforce,” Dr. Magaña said.

She noted that the field will increasingly require digital fluency alongside critical thinking, creativity, ethics and adaptability, and emphasized the importance of lifelong learning beyond a single degree.

Holding Opportunity and Risk Together

Dr. Godwin focused on what public health professionals need to understand as AI becomes more embedded in research, education and practice, describing the moment as one that requires balancing both opportunity and risk.

“We need to hold in our minds at the same time that AI has incredible potential to transform not just our discipline, but the world around us,” Dr. Godwin said, “and that it also has the potential to be incredibly disruptive and to exacerbate inequities that we already see in the world around us.”

She added that public health is uniquely positioned to lead these conversations because of its grounding in both data and human well-being, and encouraged students to develop practical familiarity with AI tools.

“I do genuinely believe that developing a good understanding of how to use and leverage various types of AI and data science tools is likely to boost how employable you will be coming out of your public health program,” she said.

Building Ethical Guidance

Dr. Joshi presented early findings from a landscape analysis of generative AI policies among ASPPH member schools and programs of public health, examining how institutions are approaching governance, including academic integrity, classroom use, data privacy, ethics and legal compliance.

He described the work as an initial effort to understand what guidance already exists and where important gaps remain.

“This is the first study that has characterized the institutional guidance on AI use provided by member schools of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.”

According to Dr. Joshi, current policies remain largely centered on faculty and student use in classroom settings, with less consistent attention to broader issues such as privacy protections, ethical implementation and research governance.

Questions of Privacy and Access

The discussion also turned to questions from attendees, including how to balance population health benefits with individual privacy in AI-driven research and whether students will have access to HIPAA-compliant AI tools.

Dr. Nezami said these questions remain unresolved, but increasingly urgent.

“It is a wonderful question, and I think it is something that would be an ongoing dialogue and discussion,” she said, referring to the tension between data use for public good and the need for oversight, anonymization and protection from harm.

She also noted that, at present, there is no coordinated university-wide plan for student access to HIPAA-safe AI tools, even as the need for such tools becomes more apparent in teaching and learning.

A Rapidly Evolving Space

Reflecting on the discussion, Dr. Nezami emphasized the importance of collaboration and transparency as the field continues to evolve.

“We are grateful to the public health leaders who generously shared their insights and expertise, demonstrating a strong commitment to keeping the field informed as AI continues to evolve,” she said. “Their willingness to engage in open dialogue reflects an ongoing dedication to transparency and collaboration, both essential to strengthening trust in public health.”

She added that the conversation reinforced a clear takeaway for the field: AI is no longer a future issue for public health, but one already shaping how the field operates. As a result, institutions will need to respond with clearer guidance, stronger training and continued attention to ethics and equity. At the same time, public health must navigate a central challenge: how to embrace innovation while protecting the values of equity, transparency and trust that define the field.

Written by Deycha Torres Hernández, published April 13, 2026.