AI to the Rescue

Artificial intelligence solutions prove effective in the battle against the COVID-19 epidemic in China

- Li Xiaoyu

Upon her return from her hometown in Hebei Province in north China, Li Can, a resident of Putuo District in Shanghai in east China, received a phone call. The neighborhood committee wanted an update on her health status. But to Li’s surprise, it was no ordinary interviewer at the other end of the line. It was a robot that contacted her.

“Given your situation, you are requested to remain under self-quarantine at home for the next 14 days,” the machine suggested to her after a short interview.

Tracking the movement of residents at neighborhood level is essential to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus that has been prevalent in China since late December 2019. Much to the relief of Li’s neighborhood committee, this new technology has taken a huge burden off their shoulders. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), the robot can make around 200 calls in five minutes. Manually, it would take an employee two to three hours to do the same task.

In today’s modern world, AI is making its way into an increasing number of areas of daily life. In terms of the epidemic, AI is utilized to play an even more important role in the research, diagnosis, prevention and control of infections caused by the new coronavirus.

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