AI&SOCIETY - 29/10/2021

Could AI Help Prevent the Next Pandemic?

AI has been a buzzword in the tech world for years now, and it really looks like AI capabilities are steadily improving. The more we try to understand Big Data the more money and energy are invested in developing sophisticated algorithms that can be a driving force behind AI technology. Similar to ウィリアムヒルプロモコード betting bonus codes that allow us to play more, AI allows us to get more information on a specific topic. So, let’s see how and if AI can help us prevent or simply combat the next Pandemic. 

What Can AI Do?

The idea behind AI is to feed it data that it can analyze and based on that analysis it can suggest or take action. One good example is self-driving cars that constantly scan their surroundings and based on that situation they either slow down, accelerate, turn left or right, etc. In other words, AI is a pretty broad term and it is tech that is used in lots of industries to aid us. With this in mind let’s see what are some AI capabilities we can leverage to help us in the Pandemic scenario. 

AI and Pandemic 

We are constantly expanding and as a result, we destroy natural habitats. Meaning, humans are constantly getting closer to the environment that is mostly inhabited by animals.

Our bodies have changed in such a way that it is difficult for us to co-exist in these environments.

Moreover, animals have their own viruses that spread among certain species and that can evolve to spread to different species. This is one of the main reasons behind pandemics, animal viruses get transmitted to humans. 

This happens rarely, but each virus mutates constantly, and sooner or later it hits the combination of mutations that can attack human organisms. Meaning in spite of low odds the way we currently live makes the pandemic scenario a tautological certainty. AI can use the information about urban areas that are in close proximity to animal habitats, or areas where humans often interact with animals and mark those points as potential ground 0.  In other words, we can know where the next pandemic will likely occur. 

Spreading Patterns

Through analysis of Big Data, we can use AI to tell us all of the potential outbreak routes. So, if we manage to identify a high concentration of infected individuals, AI could use the information it has on how frequently people travel from that location and where they typically go, and how many tourists come to that specific location. This can be used to project spreading patterns, and it can give us insight on how to act in order to contain the spread more effectively. 

Conclusion 

AI can definitely be used to help us combat the next pandemic, but it has limited capability when it comes to preventing it. This is because it operates on the data we know and can collect, whereas a pandemic can occur from an unknown location and under unknown circumstances. Moreover, even if certain viruses evolve to infect humans it won’t necessarily lead to pandemics. 

The virus needs to spread easily, and it also needs to have low potency in terms of the damage it can do to a human.

A virus that knocks you out, leaves you lying in bed, and less capable of spreading it around. Meaning, a lot of elements need to align in order for the next pandemic to happen. 

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