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“We’re training the next generation of public health professionals to use AI ethically and effectively to benefit all communities,� said Dr. Iman Hakim, dean of the UA’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, in a news release.

“Our college is already using AI in research and programs, giving students hands-on experience. We’re providing the tools, the experience and the space to explore how AI can help us do what we do best — protect and improve lives.�

The College of Public Health launched the with new courses and research projects. It’s part of the UA’s $20 million investment in strategic research areas including “enhancing biomedical discoveries and health care outcomes with artificial intelligence and machine learning,� according to a UA news release.

As part of its focus on AI in public health, the UA also brought in an internationally recognized AI and data science expert, David Ebert, as the university’s first chief AI and data science officer.

The initiative — a collaborative effort with the UA’s global health and data science institute — also includes an inaugural Public Health and AI Summer School training program with four days of workshops to explore how AI can be used in public health with available tools.

The training program had UA experts including Onicio Leal Neto, Dr. Marvin Slepian, and Nirav Merchant introduce the basics of AI and discuss topics such as ethical and legal considerations of AI use, use of Machine Learning in patient care, and its challenges in government use. Industry leaders, county and state officials also spoke at the program.

The idea was for participants to understand AI’s relevance and its applications for public health practice, including surveillance, forecasting, risk prediction and administrative tasks.

The theme throughout the workshop week was that AI can be very useful, but also requires transparency, and responsible, safe, effective and equitable use with informed consent and human oversight.

“We are entering an environment which is highly nonpoliced,â€� said Slepian, a Regents Professor of medicine, medical imaging and surgery at UA’s College of Medicine – ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and of biomedical engineering at the College of Engineering. “The onus is on us to put the regulatory upfront. We need the law upfront, so we don’t have hassles later.â€�

Slepian, who runs the and is also a member of UA’s , said AI is the buzzword for 2025 and that it’s not going anywhere.

The summer program was the brainchild of Neto, an assistant research professor of digital epidemiology at the public health college. The interest in the program, which attracted over 3,100 people internationally from different disciplines to the registration website, excited Neto.

The program ended up having 52 attendees and a waiting list, although it was initially supposed to be capped at 25.

Neto said he expects to create additional AI summer programs and also hopes to hold an international summit on the topic.

“We are doing our best to get our students in a better position to be in the job market as soon as they get out of our programs.�