From Digital Childhoods to Predictive Health Systems: The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Multimorbidity Research in Shaping the Future of Public Health in South Asia

South Asia stands at a pivotal moment in its public health journey, where rapid digital adoption intersects with escalating burdens of chronic and infectious diseases. This article explores the interplay between three emerging dimensions—digital childhoods, artificial intelligence (AI) in predictive medicine, and multimorbidity research—and argues that their convergence will shape the trajectory of health outcomes in the region. The increasing prevalence of smartphone use among preschoolers in urban South Asian contexts reflects both technological penetration and shifting cultural patterns of child-rearing. While mobile devices serve as tools for early learning and connectivity, problematic use has been linked to attention deficits, impaired social interaction, and sedentary lifestyles, creating the potential for long-term vulnerabilities such as obesity, anxiety, and poor mental health. At the same time, healthcare systems in South Asia, long challenged by shortages of skilled professionals and uneven access to quality services, are beginning to leverage AI-driven predictive models for cancer recurrence, survival analysis, and risk stratification. These innovations demonstrate promise in tailoring care, optimizing resource allocation, and bridging the gaps between prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in resource-constrained environments.The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed structural weaknesses in regional health systems, where high mortality rates among patients with diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases underscored the critical role of multimorbidity and diagnostic biomarkers in shaping outcomes. These findings suggest that chronic disease management cannot be siloed but must be integrated into broader predictive health frameworks. By weaving together evidence on childhood digital behaviors, advances in AI-driven healthcare, and the systemic challenges of multimorbidity, this article advances a unified vision for predictive and resilient health systems in South Asia. It calls for a public health paradigm that addresses risks from early life stages, integrates technological innovations responsibly, and ensures equitable access across diverse populations. Ethical considerations—including algorithmic fairness, data privacy, and cultural sensitivity—remain central to this transformation.