Context:

• The present state of health emergency across the globe has led to a new wave of Transformative Technologies emerging as a Possible solution to Contain the Epidemic.
• Bringing an array of fresh opportunities to tackle Critical Challenges, the Revolutionary Artificial Intelligence is emerging as a Prospective Saviour of the day.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

• Artificial Intelligence refers to the Intelligence shown by Machinese. computer software, computer controlled robots etc.
• It is the ability of machines to think logically, learn from observations and optimise Intelligently Similar to the Intelligence of Humans.
• It is the simulation of human intelligence in machines which includes capabilities such as reasoning, self-correction, performing cognitive tasks, problem solving and decision making ability etc.
• Artificial intelligence is the part of the fourth industrial revolution which includes robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Nanotechnology, Quantum Computing, Internet of things, Autonomous Vehicles etc.,

AI – Helps to Tackle Pandemic:

• In India, the government has already launched an AI-enabled smartphone application called Aarogya Setu, which helps users check if they have crossed paths with patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
• The app uses the phone number of the user, along with the location data of the smartphone and matches his/her movements with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data on the backend
• Using video analytics, technology could be a risk-free way to help identify coronavirus suspects as it helps avoid human contact.
• As the coronavirus is highly contagious, it is necessary to track every individual that the infected person may have met, where such AI-enabled apps can contribute immensely.

AI Leading the Global Fight:

• Recent Report Indicates the Replacement of some Human Workforce by robotics, there seems to be a non-anticipated advantage for us in these difficult times where robots can be Providing Services to Infected Patients.
• Robots aren’t susceptible to the virus, so they are being deployed to complete many tasks such as cleaning and sterilizing and delivering food and medicine to reduce the amount of human-to-human contact

• AI can help in tracking networks and air passengers to predict places where the virus can next spread
• AI keeps a close eye on social media, procuring informational reports and data about infected cases via online spaces and chatrooms
• Furthermore, it transforms data into useful insights displaying and forecasting the disease’s hotspots for organizations working to tackle the pandemic, such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

Conclusion:

• AI in the healthcare industry is expected to become a whopping $36.1 billion market by the end of 2025
• In a global pandemic such as covid-19, technologies such as AI and data science have become critical to helping societies effectively deal with the outbreak.

Source: The Livemint