Introduction to AI
Concepts, Terms, and Benefits of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Public Health
Presentation Slides
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Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:
What is Artificial Intelligence?
"Teaching computers to do things that normally require human intelligence."
Artificial Intelligence is a broad field of computer science focused on creating systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence — such as learning from experience, recognizing patterns, understanding language, and making decisions.
In healthcare and public health, AI is being used to analyze disease patterns, predict outbreaks, automate administrative tasks, and support clinical decision-making. The key principle is augmentation, not replacement — AI handles data processing and repetitive tasks, empowering humans to focus on complex decisions.
Key Insight
All AI currently in use today is "Narrow AI" — designed for specific tasks. "General AI" (human-like consciousness) remains science fiction. Every AI tool you encounter in your work is narrow and task-specific.
The AI Hierarchy
Think of AI as a set of nested technologies, each building on the last:
Analogy: AI is the car, ML is the engine, Deep Learning is a specific high-performance engine.
Key Terms & Definitions
Click each term to reveal its definition:
Benefits of AI for Health Departments
Workflow Efficiency
Automate repetitive tasks like data entry, report generation, and record categorization. Free up staff to focus on high-value analysis and community engagement.
Better Decision-Making
Leverage predictive analytics to anticipate disease outbreaks, allocate resources proactively, and identify at-risk populations before crises escalate.
Streamlined Operations
Integrate AI into existing systems to reduce processing times, minimize errors, and create seamless data flows across departments and agencies.