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Goals & Mission

GeoAI4EI develops an open-source, trustworthy, and ethical AI toolbox to strengthen European and global epidemic intelligence (EI) for pandemic preparedness and response.

Mission​

By embedding ethics and inclusiveness in its methodology, GeoAI4EI enhances trust in AI-driven public health tools, reduces inequalities in pandemic preparedness, and ensures interoperability with EU infrastructures.

Objectives​

  1. Strengthen early detection of high-risk pathogens — including zoonotic spillovers and climate-driven threats — by integrating multi-source data into a coherent geospatial picture.
  2. Enable continuous monitoring of epidemic signals in time and space, supporting public health surveillance across Europe and associated countries.
  3. Support scenario-based management of outbreak preparedness and response, giving decision-makers tools to explore "what-if" situations and their consequences.
  4. Advance AI for public health through state-of-the-art geospatial and epidemiological modelling, Large Language Models, and retrieval-augmented conversational assistants.
  5. Embed ethical and legal safeguards in every component: GDPR-compliant data, Data Sharing Agreements, anonymisation standards, EU AI Act conformance, FAIR & CARE principles, and independent ethical audits.
  6. Ensure digital inclusion through open-source, lightweight platforms and training programmes for resource-limited contexts.
  7. Guarantee interoperability with EU infrastructures such as the EHDS and ATHINA, and contribute to global health security through equitable, ethical, and sustainable digital innovation.

Scope​

GeoAI4EI serves epidemic intelligence needs at multiple levels:

  • Europe and associated countries, with real-time decision support for epidemic preparedness
  • High-risk pathogens, from zoonotic spillovers to climate-driven disease threats
  • Supranational coordination, aligning with ECDC, HERA, and WHO
  • Global health security, sharing methods and open-source tools that any health system can adopt

Expected impact​

  • Faster, better-informed decisions during outbreaks and in preparedness planning
  • Reduced inequalities in pandemic preparedness across Europe and beyond
  • Greater public and professional trust in AI-driven health tools
  • A reusable, open-source foundation for future epidemic intelligence initiatives