YOUR ASSOCIATION
Open Access
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
The Promise of Artificial Intelligence in the Field of Environmental Health
CDR Anna Khan, MA, REHS/RS
I love science fiction and as a girl grow- ing up watching the original Star Trek TV show, I often wondered if we would have some of those amazing gadgets in real life. I remember in the early 1980s how thrilled my dad was to get the first mobile phone, the video game Pong , and of course, the microwave. Fast forward to the present, I feel I am living on the cusp of amazing technological developments, especially in the morning when I ask Alexa to turn on the lights, tell me the day’s weather and news, or to add shampoo to my Amazon shopping list. This train of thought led me to think about how technology impacts our work- force, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and how we will perform daily tasks. According to PwC (2025), AI could poten- tially contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy and provide a 26% boost to the GDP (gross domestic product) for local economies by 2030. When I talk about the transformative impact of AI on work- force development, please note it is not a personal endorsement of AI, but rather my thoughts based on models and projec- tions across most industries that predict the transformative impact AI will have on workforce development. This technology could be like the advent of the internet and its impact on our day-to-day lives. Chris Hyzy, chief investment officer at Merrill and Bank of America Private Bank, stated, “AI should transform the global economy as electricity and the steam engine did in their own time” (Bank of America Private Bank, 2025).
ally, AI could simplify complex regulatory language in reports, making them clearer for business owners and partners, stream- lining communication, and improving food safety standards. Further, generative AI could revolution- ize communication campaigns by stream- lining the creation of tailored commu- nication materials for diverse audiences. With its ability to analyze vast data sets and understand audience preferences, gen- erative AI could produce engaging content such as social media posts, blog articles, videos, and email newsletters. It could enable marketers to quickly generate varia- tions of materials optimized for specific demographics, cultural contexts, or com- munication channels, ensuring relevance and resonance. For instance, an AI model could create persuasive ads targeting young professionals on social media while gener- ating informative brochures for older audi- ences. Additionally, it could personalize content at scale, adapting tone, language, and visuals to align with audience prefer- ences. This capability not only enhances efficiency but also ensures consistency in brand messaging across all platforms, making campaigns more impactful and cost-effective. Another AI-powered tool is video gen- eration. This emerging aspect of AI could change public health communication by creating engaging and accessible videos that break down complex health informa- tion and overcome literacy barriers. Public health organizations could produce visu- ally rich and easy-to-understand videos
The ability to quickly generate
content using AI will allow public health agencies to respond rapidly during crises.
I think that we should look at AI, espe- cially generative AI, and how it can support our work in public health. Generative AI could significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of food inspection processes for environmental health practitioners by automating the creation and analysis of inspection forms and reports. AI-powered tools can generate standardized inspection templates tailored to specific regulations and compliance requirements, ensuring consistency across different inspections. During inspections, practitioners could use AI to input observations in real time, with the system automatically generating comprehensive reports that include key findings, risk assessments, and actionable recommendations. Generative AI could also analyze historical data from previous inspections to identify recurring issues or emerging trends, helping practitioners pri- oritize high-risk establishments. Addition-
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Volume 87 • Number 7
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