Advances in AI can help prepare the world for the next pandemic
- Scientists publish paper showing how AI (artificial intelligence) can revolutionise infectious disease research
- In the next five years, AI could help save lives by predicting where disease outbreaks will happen and spread
- Young scientist from Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation at Stellenbosch University played key role in this groundbreaking research
An article published in Nature journal outlines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can revolutionise the field of infectious disease research and significantly enhance pandemic preparedness.
Co-authored by a global coalition of scientists from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe, led by Oxford University, this article highlights the potential of AI to reshape how we predict, model, and respond to future infectious disease threats, with a particular focus on saving lives through early detection and targeted interventions.
As the world continues to face the threat of emerging infectious diseases, this article emphasises the urgent need to integrate AI into public health systems. The scientists call for a global effort to collaborate across academia, government, and industry to ensure AI is used safely and ethically while addressing challenges such as limited data availability and the complexities of disease prediction.
According to the article, AI has the potential to transform pandemic preparedness in the next five years by improving the accuracy of disease spread models and predicting the trajectory of outbreaks. AI can help identify high-risk areas and allocate healthcare resources more effectively, ensuring timely intervention where it is needed most.
Dr Houriiyah Tegally, head of the Data Science unit at the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), at Stellenbosch University (SU), said: “We’re thrilled to collaborate with AI scientists globally to shape the future of infectious disease modelling. At CERI, we believe AI is poised to revolutionise science, particularly in epidemiology, by enhancing data analysis. Our team is already using AI and machine learning to tackle pressing research questions, from disease distribution and virus classification to phylogenetics and predicting climate-driven migrations—addressing pathogens like dengue, SARS-CoV-2, and more.”
The article outlines several key areas where AI can make a significant impact on pandemic preparedness:
- Improving disease spread models: By making predictions more robust, accurate, and realistic.
- Targeting high-transmission areas: Ensuring healthcare resources are allocated efficiently.
- Accelerating vaccine development: By improving genetic data in disease surveillance.
- Identifying pathogen properties: Predicting cross-species jumps and understanding pathogen characteristics.
- Monitoring and detecting outbreaks: Integrating AI with population-level data, including wearable technologies, to better track and monitor disease trends.
While AI is poised to drive remarkable advancements, the authors caution that collaboration, transparency, and rigorous safety protocols are essential to address potential risks associated with its deployment. Ensuring that AI models are accessible, accountable, and free from biases will be crucial to maximising their positive impact on global health.
“The AI program in South Africa is well advanced in collaboration with Oxford University, University of Copenhagen, African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and Google DeepMind. We now have a whole team of mathematicians, data scientists and engineers working together to advance the use of AI in infectious diseases,” said Prof. Tulio de Oliveira, Director of CERI.
About CERI at Stellenbosch University: CERI (Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation) is a trans-disciplinary research institute at Stellenbosch University dedicated to understanding, forecasting, and responding to emerging infectious diseases and epidemics in Africa. Through cutting-edge research and collaboration, CERI is at the forefront of advancing global health initiatives, applying AI and other innovative technologies to tackle infectious diseases.
Click here to access the media release from Oxford University
Click here to read the full article
For media inquiries, please contact:
Maambele Khosa, maambele@sun.ac.za / +27 79 592 9174
News date: 2025-02-20
Links:
