Can AI Make Public Engagement Easier for Researchers?

Ideas for this blog usually come from everyday moments. This one was sparked by a course on Research in Public Engagement especially relevant for those working in patient engagement roles.

The course provided an opportunity to revisit key frameworks such as the Concordat to Support Research Integrity and the UK’s standards for public involvement, while also exploring examples of how researchers have engaged the public in the past and the common reasons many haven’t.

A consistent theme emerged: most researchers value public involvement, but feel they lack the time, skills, or support to do it meaningfully. A 2021 PLOS One study found that while most life scientists saw value in engaging the public, only 32% had actually done it. That gap between good intentions and practical action is where AI could make a real difference.

AI tools can support researchers in communicating their work more effectively and inclusively. For example:

• Lay summaries and plain language
  AI can help translate technical language into simple, accessible summaries making it easier for non-experts to understand research, which builds trust and encourages wider participation.
• Translation and cultural relevance
  AI can assist in adapting materials for different languages and cultural contexts, helping researchers communicate more respectfully and clearly with diverse populations especially valuable in global health research.
• Survey and feedback design
  AI can suggest plain-language, low-bias survey questions, allowing researchers to gather insights from a wider range of voices and make engagement more inclusive.
• Responding to misinformation
  AI can help detect when early-stage findings are being misunderstood or misrepresented, supporting researchers with clear and timely responses that protect trust in science.
• Identifying engagement gaps
  By analysing datasets, AI can highlight when particular communities such as older adults or rural populations are underrepresented, helping researchers tailor outreach strategies.
• Visual communication
  AI-generated infographics or animations can help communicate research in engaging, accessible ways especially useful where literacy or language barriers exist.

The benefits of using AI in this space go beyond efficiency. It can help researchers build more inclusive, transparent, and responsive public engagement practices without requiring them to become expert communicators overnight.

AI won't replace the human connection at the heart of public involvement, but it can remove some of the practical barriers especially for early-career researchers or those navigating time-sensitive global health challenges. If public engagement is to become more inclusive and impactful, then making it more accessible is key. AI might not be the whole answer, but it's a promising place to start.