Will AI bring gradual improvement to public health, or will it radically reshape health systems? While the answer is complex, one thing is clear: the global AI market is projected to grow at an astonishing rate of 38.5% from 2024 to 2030. Moreover, for every US dollar invested, the return on investment (ROI) is expected to reach an impressive $3.20 within just 14 months. With such substantial growth on the horizon, which AI-driven innovations are poised to make the most significant impact on public health in 2025?
Better disease surveillance
In the year ahead, AI-powered disease surveillance systems could well take public health monitoring to new heights. These systems, including our Epi-control platform, will leverage vast datasets – including social media trends, hospital records, and environmental data – to predict and track health threats, with increasing accuracy. According to research published in the Journal of International Medical Research, AI is particularly effective in mitigating challenges faced by under-resourced public health systems, making it an invaluable tool for global disease prevention.
Enhanced public health communicationAI chatbots and conversational agents are set to revolutionise public health education. By offering personalised, culturally sensitive, and context-aware health information, these tools can provide critical support to underserved communities. They can also meet the specific needs of diverse populations.
Growth of AI agents Dennis Chornenky, chief AI adviser at Davis Health, highlights a critical distinction: AI agents go beyond generative AI by integrating a range of data inputs – such as images, audio, and laboratory results – to execute tasks autonomously. In 2025, AI agents are likely to be trialled across multiple healthcare domains:
Administrative efficiency: AI agents could be involved in handling healthcare-related phone communications, including appointment scheduling and follow-up calls, reducing burdens on medical staff.
Streamlined medical documentation: By analysing patient records, medical images, and test results, AI agents could speed up diagnoses and enhance documentation accuracy.
Improved patient support: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are likely to play a pivotal role in improving patients engagement and continuity of care.
(For a deeper dive, check out OpenAI’s latest AI agent, Operator, released in January 2025.)
Improved equity-driven health analyticsAI’s potential to bridge healthcare disparities is one of its most promising applications in 2025. Across many regions, significant inequalities persist in life expectancy, chronic disease prevalence, and access to care. AI is already being deployed to locate vulnerable populations. For instance, EPCON has used AI to locate at-risk groups in various countries, including Nigeria, facilitating more efficient resource allocation and targeted interventions.
Navigating challenges
Despite AI’s vast potential, critical challenges remain. Issues surrounding data privacy, algorithmic bias, and equitable access to AI technology must be addressed to ensure fair and ethical deployment in public health.
Despite this, as we move into 2025, AI stands as a beacon of innovation in public health. From better disease surveillance to promoting health equity, AI-driven technologies hold the promise of strengthening public health systems worldwide.