Enhancing Health Equity through Community Engagement in Artificial Intelligence-Driven Prevention Science

Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) in prevention science may improve or perpetuate health inequities. Community engagement is one proposed strategy thought to empirically mitigate bias in AI/ML tools. We outline how to incorporate community engagement at every stage of the model development and implementation. Borrowing from a framework for phases of prevention research, we describe the value and application of engaging communities to help shape more rigorous and relevant applications of AI/ML for prevention science. We provide concrete examples from real-world applications, including efforts in suicide prevention with Indigenous communities, on chronic disease prevention for Hispanic and Latino populations, and a community-driven effort to leverage AI/ML to improve allocation of resources focused on social determinants of health for Native Hawaiians. This work aims to provide applied examples of how community-engagement has been incorporated into AI/ML development and implementation, with the goal of encouraging those in the prevention science field to consider the voices of the community as the use of such tools grows. Engaging with the community around AI/ML is critical to ensure these tools reach populations in need and advance health equity for all.