Artificial intelligence has emerged as one of the promising technologies in public health, offering advanced capabilities for monitoring infectious diseases and predicting their patterns of spread. This has become particularly important following recent epidemics, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the growing need for technological solutions capable of responding rapidly to global health crises. Applications of artificial intelligence in this field rely on analyzing large and diverse volumes of data, including health records, social media platforms, location-based systems, and environmental and climate data. These technologies help identify patterns and indicators that may contribute to assessing the likelihood of a disease emerging or spreading in a particular area. They also support real-time monitoring of health conditions, analysis of infection trends, and strategic allocation of medical and healthcare resources according to actual needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, artificial intelligence played an increasingly important role in forecasting infection numbers, analyzing the behavior of the virus under different environmental conditions, and supporting the development of public health response strategies. AI technologies also contributed to accelerating the analysis of viral proteins and supporting various stages of vaccine and treatment development. The role of artificial intelligence is not limited to addressing existing epidemics; it also extends to developing predictive models that can contribute to preparedness for future outbreaks. These models can support the development of early-warning systems capable of detecting unusual patterns and alerting health authorities to potential disease outbreaks before they expand significantly. At the same time, these applications present several challenges, particularly regarding data quality and accuracy, privacy protection, and information security, in addition to the need to ensure the responsible use of intelligent technologies in public health. Maximizing the benefits of these systems requires sustained international cooperation, continuous updates to data and algorithms, as well as clear regulatory and ethical frameworks governing the use of artificial intelligence in ways that protect human health and strengthen communities’ capacity to respond to epidemic crises. The use of artificial intelligence in epidemic prediction demonstrates that digital transformation in healthcare is no longer limited to diagnosis and treatment. It increasingly extends to prevention, early preparedness, and crisis management, supporting the development of more proactive, resilient healthcare systems capable of addressing future health challenges. Al-Mustaqbal University… The First University in Iraq.