President’s bulletin: Environmental Health and Artificial Intelligence

AI is starting to transform how we live and work, including the delivery and efficiency of essential public services such as Environmental Health (EH).

Capacity and capability is the theme of the President’s Commission. Local authorities across the UK report being underfunded for the provision of Environmental Health (EH) services. There are increasing EH “requests for service” that need investigation and actions to be taken. EH demand is increasing. Planning and monitoring EH issues for preventive interventions are not keeping pace. There is a shortfall of trained EHPs across all sectors. Delivering with less is a common descriptor. There are no simple solutions or easy fixes.

Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are emerging as innovative technologies. Already Large Language Models (LLM) have been developed for use by all. ChatGPT and Gemini are examples. There is a new entrant – DeepSeek which has already agitated this space. These LLMs are very impressive as they analyse and utilise the content of the Internet. 

Like all technologies safeguards and protections will be needed. The UK Government has a National AI Strategy and has pledged £118 million in funding to “put AI to work improving every element of Britons’ lives”. The Faculty of Public Health has an AI Special Interest Group.

Ulster University last year offered a funded PhD position - Using Artificial Intelligence to improve Environmental Health Regulation and Enforcement. Could the use of AI actually reduce demands on EHPs, aid public and environmental health tasks, make EH more efficient and effective and crucially improve environmental / public health for many?

Some EH areas utilising AI are:

• Data analysis and predictive insights
  • Food Safety and Hygiene Monitoring – Hazel Analytics, CDC FoodNet
  • Air Quality and Environmental Monitoring – Breathe London 

• Training and knowledge sharing
  • WHO’s Health Learning Platform has integrated AI into virtual training modules for food safety inspectors and EH professionals

These “digital brains” and “virtual assistants for information processing” are evolving. How such technologies will be utilised and adopted for EH are still unidentified. Generating an actual EHP Android may be just for the cinema screens now and a step too far for some.

AI and LLMs have the potential to transform EH delivery in the UK by improving efficiency, enhancing risk assessment, and enabling data-driven decision-making. However, careful implementation is essential. There will be challenges and difficult considerations such as ethical and legal concerns, data privacy and integration with existing systems.

CIEH needs to consider AI and how it could be utilised before these are imposed and EH is an afterthought. Timing is everything. The new EH AI model needs to be built by EHPs if we are not to be eliminated - if that is not being excessively pessimistic.

CIEH Advisory Panels are well placed to do this. Our CIEH motto Amicus Humani Generis is very applicable to this AI future and echoes closely with Asimov’s three laws of robotics which relate to doing no harm to humans.

I’m pleased to share that an online CIEH AI conference is being planned for the summer, keep an eye on the CIEH events page and Member Connect to book your place and be part of the conversation.

Please do contact me at [email protected] with comments, concerns, suggestions and hopefully praise on occasion.