A survey of American public health faculty AI competency & readiness

Introduction: Growing interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education demands a deeper understanding of its integration across academic disciplines, particularly public health (PH). Objectives: This study developed and administered a cross-sectional online survey assessing AI competency, beliefs, and perceptions among U.S. PH faculty, with the goal of clarifying readiness for AI implementation. Methods: The survey was designed using the Qualtrics Platform, incorporating multiple-choice, Likert-type, and free-response items drawn from existing literature on AI in education. Participants included 411 faculty from U.S. schools or programs of public health accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Results: Findings indicated that tools such as ChatGPT are primarily used for supportive teaching and research tasks. AI competency domains — particularly coding and data management skills — meaningfully shaped faculty beliefs and perceptions. While faculty were broadly supportive of AI and viewed it as useful and necessary, response patterns revealed a more nuanced relationship between technical expertise and AI attitudes. Conclusion: PH faculty beliefs and perceptions appear influenced by their AI competency and technical skills. Institutions should evaluate and strengthen faculty AI competency through tailored professional development to improve AI readiness in PH higher education.