Researchers at BMJ Global Health and the WHO convened 54 AI and public health specialists in a two-round Delphi study to evaluate AI’s impact on risk communication, community engagement, and infodemic management. Through qualitative analysis and weighted ranking, they identified key AI applications, associated challenges, and seven principles—equity, transparency, and safety—for responsible deployment in health emergencies.

Key points

• Identified 21 AI opportunities across RCCE-IM, with content generation and social listening ranked highest for tailored risk communication and infodemic management.
• Uncovered 20 AI-related challenges—most notably algorithmic bias and privacy breaches—and quantified their relative importance via expert-weighted scoring.
• Established seven core governance principles (e.g., equity, safety, transparency) and prioritized regulatory frameworks, continuous monitoring, and human-in-the-loop oversight for responsible AI deployment.

Why it matters: This framework gives public health agencies AI guidelines to bolster crisis communication, curb misinformation, and promote equitable, transparent emergency responses.