Health literacy and artificial intelligence literacy in the context of health equity

Introduction

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education in administrative processes, teaching, and as a tool for students in their studies has increased explosively in recent years, especially since the release of ChatGPT. The integration of AI brings many opportunities to make learning more effective, but there are also many risks related to using the new technology both safely and ethically. Education in social and health care is particularly challenging because AI is constantly being applied in new areas of health care, and development is very rapid. This poses challenges in terms of competency development and learning for both students and teachers. Teachers, students, as well as healthcare professionals must understand and implement AI-driven recommendations, assess their reliability, and use them effectively to improve ethically sustainable health as well as health outcomes.  

In the Erasmus+ project Health Equity through Education and Artificial Intelligence the aims are to increase understanding of AI policies and AI literacy and its impact on teaching and learning about health equity. The aim is also to strengthen the digital competence of partners in higher education to be able to effectively leverage artificial intelligence resources advancing health equity.  

A critical challenge is the potential gap between AI literacy and meaningful understanding in emerging health care professionals. The rapid deployment and uptake of AI tools have outpaced the development of comprehensive educational strategies designed to build AI literacy. This lack of understanding can lead to misusing AI tools, resulting in decreased learning, inaccurate conclusions, reporting, or inappropriate application, which could translate to adverse health outcomes. (Porter & Foronda, 2024)

In this blog text we aim to reflect on the concept of AI literacy as a starting point for understanding the complexity of the use of AI in health care and health care higher education, as well as for common understanding between the four partner universities in the Erasmus+ project.

The meaning of health and AI literacy

For a long time, the term literacy was linked to written text and the ability to comprehend, employ, and express oneself through written language forms that are either mandated by society or valued by individuals. However, in recent decades the expansion of digital technologies has affected and changed assumptions about literacy in society. This means literacy has become a flexible concept, developed and expanded in various ways (Sperling et al, 2024). While the ability to read and write was a basic social competency in the era of letters, the ability to use computers is a basic competency in the era of computer development. Throughout history, various forms of literacy have emerged, such as visual, digital, and technological literacy. In the recent decades, the development of technology and its understanding have developed into an information and communication technology (ICT) literacy with the aim of fostering individual abilities to use technology as a necessity for social communication and participation (Yi, 2021). In modern society, the ability to understand and use ICT has become an essential basic ability required for societal participation and communication.

The modern era of artificial intelligence (AI) not only causes radical and unprecedented changes in the way people live and work, but it also poses new requirements on competencies and skills required. AI has the potential to become one of the important technology skills in the twenty-first century (Ng et al., 2021). As such, combining AI and literacy means having the essential abilities that people need to live, learn and work in our digital world through AI-driven technologies (Ng et al., 2021). It is necessitated by the pervasive presence of AI in contemporary society. AI literacy is driven by a democratic imperative to enhance the knowledge of what AI is and its societal consequences, as well as by individuals lacking backgrounds in computer science, mathematics, or AI engineering (Sperling et al., 2024). Even if definitions of AI literacy are currently taking shape, Long and Magerko (2020, p. 2) defined AI literacy as: “a set of competencies that enables individuals to critically evaluate AI technologies; communicate and collaborate effectively with AI; and use AI as a tool online, at home, and in the workplace.” AI literacy also refers to an important competency to become a citizen who is not alienated from a changing society due to AI. A lack of AI literacy capabilities causes the problem of “digital divide and digital exclusion” among the members of society (Yi, 2021). These changes in a new society require new learning, as people cannot understand and adapt to the changes without understanding the technologies and phenomena that have led to them. At the same time, it is important to foster the social responsibility and ethical awareness to use AI for societal good (Ng et al., 2021).

AI literacy is clearly related to other previously defined literacies in related fields. While AI Literacy as described above is the ability to understand, evaluate, and interact with artificial intelligence systems involving recognition of how AI works, its potential biases, and its role in decision-making, health literacy refers to an individual’s ability to access, understand, and use health-related information to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. It includes skills like reading medical and health care instructions, understanding risk factors, and navigating healthcare systems. Critical thinking, as well as the ability to interact and express personal and societal needs for promoting health also, is also included in the concept of health literacy (WHO, 2016). As AI increasingly influences healthcare (e.g., diagnostic tools, personalised treatments, and health apps), AI literacy becomes essential for health literacy. Patients and healthcare professionals must understand AI-driven recommendations, assess their reliability, and use them effectively to improve health equity and outcomes.

Discussion

AI-driven transformations offer many new opportunities but require both broad and deep expertise. Long and Magerko (2020) state the importance of investigating what new competencies will be necessary in a future in which AI transforms the way that we communicate, work, and live with each other and with machines (Simms, 2025). In healthcare settings, from education to clinical practices, AI literacy involves a thorough understanding and proficient application of AI technologies within healthcare context. This literacy extends beyond using tools like ChatGPT to generate content or assess student learning. It includes the ability to critically evaluate the accuracy, ethical implications, and educational relevance of AI-generated tools as these systems evolve.

AI literacy in healthcare also encompasses understanding the fundamentals and capabilities of AI technology as well as the ability to assess, interact with, and make informed decisions about AI in practice and education. It involves evaluating AI -powered and generated content for accuracy and relevance, recognising AI’s limitations across different specialties, and being aware of ethical concerns such as biases and data privacy. This literacy also includes understanding the impact of this novel technology on human interactions in healthcare settings, how to use AI tools to enhance patient care and education, and how to adapt to evolving AI technologies. Crucially, it also involves teaching students to use these technologies responsibly and ethically in their future practices, preparing future professionals to navigate the increasingly AI-influenced healthcare landscape competently and ethically.

To integrate AI literacy effectively into education, educators should adopt a multifaceted approach. This includes embedding lessons on AI fundamentals, such as machine learning basics, ethical considerations, and practical healthcare applications, within existing courses like informatics, ethics, or evidence-based practice.

As AI continues to reshape how we live, work, and interact — especially in the health and healthcare context - AI literacy becomes not just a technical skill, but a societal necessity. In healthcare settings, this means preparing students, teachers and professionals to engage thoughtfully with AI technologies, ensuring they are used to enhance health outcomes. By fostering AI literacy across all levels of healthcare, we can better navigate the opportunities and challenges of an AI-driven future, ensuring that technological progress aligns with human values and professional integrity.

Jonas Danielson, Ph.D., Degree programme director, Arcada UAS

Anu Nyberg, M.Hc., Degree programme director, Arcada UAS

Camilla Wikström-Grotell, Ph.D., Vice Director, Research and Development, Arcada UAS

References

Long, D., & Magerko, B. (2020, April). What is AI literacy? Competencies and design considerations. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems (pp. 1-16).

Ng, D. T. K., Leung, J. K. L., Chu, S. K. W., & Qiao, M. S. (2021). Conceptualizing AI literacy: An exploratory review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 2, 100041.

Porter, A., & Foronda, C. (2024). Enhancing Artificial Intelligence Literacy in Nursing Education to Combat Embedded Biases. Nursing education perspectives, 45(2), 131-132.

Simms, R. C. (2025). Generative artificial intelligence (AI) literacy in nursing education: A crucial call to action. Nurse Education Today, 146, 106544.

Sperling, K., Stenberg, C. J., McGrath, C., Åkerfeldt, A., Heintz, F., & Stenliden, L. (2024). In search of artificial intelligence (AI) literacy in Teacher Education: A scoping review. Computers and Education Open, 100169.

WHO (2016). Promoting health in the SDGs. Report on the 9th global conference for health promotion: All for health, health for all, 21–24 november. World Health Organisaton. Shanghai. Geneva: WHO. Available: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/259183/WHO-NMH-PND-17.5-eng.pdf?sequence=1  

Yi, Y. (2021). Establishing the concept of AI literacy. Jahr–European Journal of Bioethics, 12(2), 353-368.

Health Equity through Education and Artificial Intelligence (HEQED AI) is an Erasmus+ financed project lead by the University of Zaragoza (Spain). Partner universities are Wester Norway University of Applied Sciences (NO), Arcada University of Applied Sciences (FIN) and HAN University of Applied Sciences (NL).