Artificial Intelligence in Public Health
Although this course is no longer publicly available, Health Comm Central continues to support public health professionals and organizations through live online trainings, health communication strategy, and learning design support tailored for teams.
About This Previously Offered Course
This previously offered online course was developed for public health professionals navigating limited time, staffing, and resources while responding to increasingly complex communication needs.
Led by communication strategist and trainer Karen Hilyard, Ph.D., the course drew on her nearly two decades of experience working with CDC, NIH, and national, state, and local public health organizations. Across 14 succinct modules, participants explored practical ways AI tools could support public health communication tasks, including brainstorming, organizing information, drafting content, reviewing messages, adapting materials for different audiences, and generating visuals.
The course was designed for convenient, self-paced learning, with short lessons that participants could complete between other responsibilities. Practical exercises, guided prompts, and one-page job aids helped learners apply concepts directly to their work and return to key strategies after completing the course.
The course also addressed responsible AI use in public health communication, including human oversight, privacy considerations, ethical use, and the importance of reviewing AI-generated content before using it in professional settings. At the time it was offered, participants also had access to live discussion sessions with Dr. Hilyard to ask questions, explore concerns, and deepen their learning.
- Public health professionals who were new to AI tools and wanted a practical, nontechnical introduction.
- Professionals already using AI who wanted exercises, language, and examples to support staff, grantees, partners, or clients
- Organizations developing guidelines for ethical, safe, and appropriate AI use in public health communication
Access to additional practice exercises for individual study
Detailed tip sheets designed for practical application
A printable digital workbook with practical exercises from the video lessons.
Thoughtfully selected reading lists directing learners to the most reputable and beneficial articles on artificial intelligence
The original course offering included alumni discussion sessions, which provided an opportunity for learners to share practical tips on utilizing artificial intelligence with fellow health communication professionals.
Former Course Curriculum
Course Introduction
Module 10: Summarizing PDFs
Module 11: Developing Interactive Chatbots
Module 12: Using Plug-Ins for More Capabilities
Module 13: Concerns and Caveats for AI Use
Additional Resources
Karen Hilyard, Ph.D., an expert in behavioral science and communication strategy, dedicates her efforts to shaping campaigns, messages, and materials aimed at impacting health behavior, policy, and systems.
For almost 2 decades, Dr. Hilyard has actively immersed herself in providing practical, evidence-based training to the public health workforce. Notably, she has been instrumental in delivering a multitude of courses for CDC University, each meticulously designed to be immediately applicable and relevant. Her courses excel at distilling intricate concepts into tangible skills, allowing participants to promptly translate theory into practice.
In addition to her pivotal roles in communication and training, Dr. Hilyard has left her mark on research, contributing to publications in esteemed journals including Health Affairs, Health Communication, Vaccine, and the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. She also previously hosted the Health Comm Central podcast, where she explored timely issues in public health communication, strategy, and practice.
