More than four years have passed since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, an event that profoundly changed the way both health authorities and the general public perceive the role of pulmonology within national health systems. During the pandemic period, respiratory medicine became one of the central disciplines in healthcare, clearly demonstrating how essential pulmonology is in diagnosing, treating, and managing diseases that affect the respiratory system. This experience helped many people better understand the fundamental contribution that pulmonologists and respiratory specialists provide in protecting public health. Today, several years after the start of that global crisis, we are now facing a particularly crucial and significant moment, not only for the discipline of pulmonology itself but also for the broader healthcare system as a whole.

At the same time, awareness has grown regarding the serious and measurable impact that environmental factors—particularly air pollution and climate change—have on respiratory health. Scientific evidence has increasingly confirmed that these factors affect not only individuals already suffering from chronic respiratory diseases but also the health and well-being of the wider population. In other words, the consequences of poor air quality extend far beyond patients with existing conditions and concern the respiratory health of all citizens. Because of this well-established connection between environmental conditions and respiratory health, the need to introduce and implement effective policies aimed at improving air quality has become more urgent than ever. Delaying such initiatives is no longer a viable option.

This evolving landscape represents an area of attention that is partly new but increasingly central to discussions about respiratory health and public policy. At the same time, another powerful force is entering this field with considerable impact: artificial intelligence. AI technologies are rapidly spreading across numerous sectors and disciplines, and medicine is clearly among the areas where their influence is becoming increasingly evident. As artificial intelligence continues to develop and integrate into healthcare practices, it is beginning to permeate many aspects of medical science, including those related to pulmonology and respiratory care.