From the most mundane checks of reducing human error and preventing repetitive tasks, the development of AI, particularly platforms such as ChatGPT, has allowed us to automate so many tiresome tasks. 

Nonetheless, I know it can seem very overwhelming to see how the media discusses the dangers to job displacement, AI taking over creative spaces of art and music, and even dystopian existential threats. However, there are so many reasons to be hopeful about using it.

A recent study outlined the first findings to show how AI could help accelerate breakthroughs in infectious disease research. Although so far medical applications of artificial intelligence has focused on individual patient care, and enhancing diagnostics and supporting clinical treatment decisions, the study considers the benefits of AI in population health – with both high-income and low-income countries. 

Study lead author Samir Bhatt from the University of Copenhagen and Imperial College London, said: “Infectious disease outbreaks remain a constant threat, but AI offers policymakers a powerful new set of tools to guide informed decisions on when and how to intervene.”

There is particular focus on the opportunities for AI to support pandemic preparedness. 

If you’re enjoying this story – try AI and global politics.

These opportunities include:

• Promising advances in improving current models of disease spread
• Progress in pinpointing high-transmission disease areas, ensuring that healthcare resources can be allocated efficiently.
• Improving genetic data in disease surveillance, accelerating vaccine development and the identification of new virus variants.
• Potential to help determine the properties of new pathogens, allowing scientists to predict their traits.
• Predicting new variants of already existing pathogens might arise- such as COVID-19 and influenza viruses – and which treatments and vaccines are best in reducing their impact. 

Scientists have still urged caution in suggesting that AI on its own can solve future infectious disease challenges, but human feedback into AI modelling may help them overcome existing limitations.

Study author Professor Eric Topol, MD, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, said: “While AI has remarkable transformative potential for pandemic mitigation, it is dependent upon extension worldwide collaboration and from comprehensive, continuous surveillance data inputs.”

The authors have suggested rigorous guidelines to evaluate AI models, advocating for strong collaborations between government, society, industry, and academia for sustainable and practical development of models for improving human health.