Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Global Epidemics

Book excerpt: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Global Epidemics provides readers with a detailed technical description of the role Artificial Intelligence plays in various stages of a disease outbreak, using COVID-19 as a case study. In the fight against epidemics, medical staff are on the front line; but behind the lines the battle is fought by researchers, and data scientists. Artificial Intelligence has been helping researchers with computer modeling and simulation for predictions about disease progression, the overall economic situation, tax incomes and population development. In the same manner, AI can prepare researchers for any emergency situation by backing the medical science. Artificial Intelligence plays a key and cutting-edge role in the preparedness for and dealing with the outbreak of global epidemics. It can help researchers analyze global data about known viruses to predict the patterns of the next pandemic and the impacts it will have. Not only prediction, AI plays an increasingly important role in assessing readiness, early detection, identification of patients, generating recommendations, situation awareness and more. It is up to the right input and the innovative ways by humans to leverage what AI can do. As COVID-19 has grabbed the world and its economy today, an analysis of the COVID-19 outbreak and the global responses and analytics will pay a long way in preparing humanity for such future situations. - Provides readers with understanding of how Artificial Intelligence can be applied to the prediction, forecasting, detection, and testing of global epidemics, using COVID-19 and other recent epidemics such as Ebola, Corona viruses, Zika, influenza, Dengue, Chikungaya, and malaria as case studies - Includes background material regarding readiness for coping with epidemics, including Machine Learning models for prediction of epidemic outbreaks based on existing data - Includes technical coverage of key topics such as generating recommendations to combat outbreaks, genome sequencing, AI-assisted testing, AI-assisted contact tracing, situation awareness and combating disinformation, and the role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in drug discovery, vaccine development, and drug re-purposing