Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most, if not the only powerful and disruptive technology that made an enormous significance in this modern world. AI is a concept that continues to reach a more and more audience with frequent developments and researches carried out by engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs who are working tirelessly to enhance their sector. 

This year looks promising for AI experimentation and remarkable breakthroughs that will transform how we work in years to come.

Before the pandemic mayhem in 2020, artificial intelligence and machine learning have been doing wonders across sectors. It became more evident that self-teaching algorithms and smart machines play a vital role in battling the outbreak and serving society. Artificial intelligence is an essential trend in our various industries and our world.

What is AI?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an aspect of developing computers, and robots can parse data contextually to offer needed information, supply analysis, or stimulate events based on findings. Through machine learning and neural networks, several companies globally are investing more in machines that ‘think’ more like humans.

AI and COVID

Academicians, clinicians, and government entities depend on new technologies like data science, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in tracking and fighting coronavirus.

AI helps in contact tracing

AI can help in boosting mobile health applications where smart devices such as mobile phones, cameras, watches, and other wearable devices can be used in diagnosing, effective contact tracing, and most importantly track COVID-19. For instance, AI4COVID-19 is an application that depends on audio recording samples of 2 s cough, which can be used in telemedicine.

AI in prediction and tracking

AI can be used to predict the spread of Coronavirus and create early warning systems by extracting information from news sites, calls, social media platforms, and offering essential information about the intensely infected regions, and forecasting mortality and morbidity.

For example, HealthMap gathers publicly available information on COVID-19 and enhances efficient tracking of the virus spread. Also, Bluedot helps identify a cluster of pneumonia cases and foretelling the outbreak and geographical location of the virus outbreak based on the available data using machine learning.  The role of artificial intelligence and the prediction of COVID-19 outbreaks by using multitudinal and multimodal data was more emphasized.

AI in the monitoring of COVID-19 cases

AI techniques are used in monitoring patients in clinical settings and in predicting treatments. According to the data gotten from clinical parameters and vital statistics, AI will offer essential information for resource allocation and decision making by prioritizing the need for respiratory supports or ventilators in the Intensive Care Unit. 

It can be used to predict the probability of recovery or mortality in COVID-19 and provide storage and trend analysis, daily updates, and the course of the treatment chart.

AI in early diagnosis

AI is used for early detection and quantification of COVID-19 cases from chest x-ray and CT scan images. Scientists developed a deep learning model called COVID-19 detection neural network (COVNet), which is used for differentiating between Coronavirus and community-acquired pneumonia according to visual 2D and 3D features obtained from a volumetric chest CT scan. 

AI in reducing the burden from healthcare staff

AI-based triage systems can assist in decreasing the workload of medical staff and healthcare workers by automating many processes and, like training practitioners, getting the accurate mode of treatment and care. 

It also helps analyze clinical data using pattern recognition techniques, digitalizing patient reports, and offering solutions that reduce their contact with the patients.

Also, it can be used to classify patients according to the severity of symptoms, genetic disposition, and clinical reports in several categories such as mild, moderate, and severe, so that several approaches can be used for managing the patients in the most efficient way. AI in telemedicine can abolish the need for regular and unnecessary hospital visits by remote monitoring of cases and recording patient data in asymptomatic cases or patients with mild symptoms.

AI-based medical chatbots can be used for consultations, hence decreasing the number of visitors in the hospitals and the spread of infection and also prevent the inadequate efficient operation of critical care services. Chatbots such as Clara from the Centre for Disease Control and Zini offer the necessary support to patients in distant settings. Service robots and anthropomorphic robots with AI core are used to deliver essential services and routine tasks such as disinfecting, cleaning, and monitoring in hospital settings.

AI and Vaccine Development

Usually, it takes lots of years, even decades, to create a new vaccine. However, around March 2020, vaccine candidates to battle with COVID-19 were going through human tests three months after the first reported cases. The speed of the vaccine development was partially due to AI models, which assisted the reason in analyzing lots of data about Coronavirus.

There are several subcomponents to the outer proteins of any virus. Machine learning models can sort through this large amount of data and foretell which subcomponents are the most immunogenic, i.e.. It can produce an immune response and guide researchers in designing targeted vaccines. Fortunately, using AI in vaccine development may transform how every vaccine will be developed in the future.

Conclusion 

When artificial intelligence is used responsibly and accurately, it can make the Coronavirus vaccine more efficient and faster for vulnerable patients. The deployment of vaccines is the most significant test for AI to showcase the scope of time-saving and efficient abilities and showcase its total value for most healthcare workers and leaders. When organizations rise from the Coronavirus crisis, AI will become an essential part of their digital strategy.