why Health Literacy Advocacy Matters in the Age of AI

Why Health Literacy Advocacy Matters in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence is increasingly used by the public to seek health information. At the same time, AI is becoming deeply integrated across all stages of healthcare, particularly in research, healthcare delivery, and public health.

As this transformation accelerates, health literacy and health equity must keep pace.

The infographic above highlights the growing and essential role of health literacy advocates in the age of AI. Their work is no longer limited to patient education alone. Advocacy is needed wherever AI shapes health information, decisions, and systems.

Where Health Literacy Advocacy Is Needed

AI now influences how evidence is generated, how care is delivered, and how public health decisions are made. When health literacy and equity are not intentionally integrated, these tools risk reinforcing existing gaps rather than reducing them.

Health literacy advocates play a critical role by:

• Advocating for personalization that reflects diverse needs, contexts, and abilities

• Monitoring AI systems for bias and misinformation

• Promoting inclusive, human-centered design from the earliest stages

• Evaluating readability and clarity, for both public-facing tools and professional systems

• Supporting transparent communication so users understand how information is created and used

• Educating communities and healthcare professionals on appropriate and ethical AI use

• Collaborating with developers early, before systems are fully built

• Advancing research that centers equity, ethics, and real-world impact

Advocacy Cannot Be an Afterthought

Health literacy and equity are most effective when embedded at the design stage. When AI tools are built without these considerations, addressing gaps later becomes far more difficult, and sometimes impossible.

Advocacy is what ensures that AI in research, healthcare, and public health supports understanding, safe decision-making, and equitable outcomes.

At Amel, we believe building AI with people in mind, from the beginning, is not optional. It is essential.

Written by Lubab Almehaidi

Founder of Amel for Health Promotion and Education