Artificial intelligence for research capacity strengthening: Two reviews and a pathway to shift power in global health

Global health research has long been shaped by inequalities rooted in colonial legacies, with researchers in wealthier countries generally leading the setting of research priorities. This paper examines whether AI tools could help shift that balance by strengthening the ability of researchers in lower-resourced settings to lead their own research. Drawing on two complementary literature reviews, one on AI's role in building research skills and capacity, and another on efforts to decolonize knowledge production in global health, the authors find that AI tools show promise in data analysis, literature management, and scientific writing, potentially helping researchers overcome barriers related to limited infrastructure or expertise.