AI Accelerates Public Health Research and Response

At the University of Utah Department of Internal Medicine, artificial intelligence is helping accelerate public health innovation. Assistant Professor of Research George G. Vega Yon and his team of software developers are using agentic AI to support CDC-funded projects in collaboration with public health partners in Utah and Washington.

AI is woven into every stage of their workflow—from coding and implementing new features to running tests and conducting code reviews. Rather than replacing researchers, AI functions as a human-guided co-developer, enhancing the team’s capabilities while keeping experts firmly in the loop. This approach enables rapid prototyping, faster iteration, and more efficient delivery of tools that support real-world public health needs.

“The use of AI has significantly accelerated our response time,” George explains. “Even with a small team, we’ve been able to increase productivity and respond to public health needs more effectively.”

One recent example is the team’s work on measles response, where AI-assisted development allowed them to quickly build analytical models and provide timely support to public health agencies—an essential advantage when addressing urgent infectious disease challenges.

To learn more about the broader ForeSITE initiative, see this earlier feature article:
U researchers to lead CDC effort to improve responses to infectious disease outbreaks

Contributors: Members of the InsightNet network and ForeSITE; George G. Vega Yon, Kristina Stratford, Hannah Higgs, Delaney Thornton, and Matthew Samore.

For more information, contact: george.vegayon@utah.edu