China, the first epicenter of this disease and known for its technological advances in this field, tried to use this to its real advantage. Its uses appear to include supporting measures to restrict population movement, predicting the evolution of disease outbreaks, as well as research to develop a vaccine or treatment. Regarding the last aspect, artificial intelligence has been used to speed up the sequencing of genomes, to make faster diagnoses, to analyze scanners or occasionally to handle maintenance and delivery robots.

Its contributions, which are also undeniable in terms of organizing better access to scientific publications or supporting research, do not eliminate the need for phases of clinical trials, nor do they completely replace human expertise. The structural problems faced by health infrastructures in this crisis situation are not due to technological solutions, but to the organization of health services, which should be able to prevent the occurrence of such situations. Emergency measures using technological solutions, including artificial intelligence, should also be evaluated at the end of the crisis. Those who violate individual freedoms should not be trivialized under the pretext of better protection of the population. The provisions of Convention 108+ in particular should continue to apply.

The contribution of artificial intelligence in the search for a cure

The first application of artificial intelligence that is expected in the event of a health crisis is certainly the help of researchers to find a vaccine able to protect the population and stop the pandemic. Biomedicine and research rely on a number of techniques, to which various applications of computer science and statistics have long contributed. Therefore, the use of artificial intelligence is part of this continuum.

Predictions of viral structure generated by artificial intelligence have already saved scientists months of experimentation. Artificial intelligence seems to have provided considerable support in this sense, even if it is limited by so-called "continuous" rules and infinite combinatorics for the study of protein folding. American start-up Moderna is distinguished by mastery of biotechnology based on brass ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for which the study of protein folding is necessary. It has managed to significantly reduce the time needed to develop a prototype vaccine that can be tested on humans thanks to the support of bioinformatics, of which artificial intelligence is an integral part.

Predictions of viral structure generated by artificial intelligence have already saved scientists months of experimentation. Artificial intelligence seems to have provided considerable support in this sense, even if it is limited by so-called "continuous" rules and infinite combinatorics for the study of protein folding. American start-up Moderna is distinguished by mastery of biotechnology based on brass ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for which the study of protein folding is necessary. It has managed to significantly reduce the time needed to develop a prototype vaccine that can be tested on humans thanks to the support of bioinformatics, of which artificial intelligence is an integral part.

Artificial Intelligence, the driving force behind knowledge sharing

In the US, the White House Office of Science and Technology met with technology companies and major research groups on March 11, 2020, to determine how artificial intelligence tools could be used, among other things, to screen thousands of research papers published worldwide on the pandemic.

Indeed, since the emergence of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, nearly 2,000 scientific papers have been published on the effects of this new virus, on possible treatments, and on the dynamics of the pandemic. This influx of scientific literature naturally reflects researchers' desire to tackle this major health crisis, but it also presents a real challenge for anyone hoping to take advantage of it.
Microsoft Research, the National Library of Medicine and the Allen Institute for AI (AI2) presented their work on March 16, 2020, which consisted of collecting and preparing more than 29,000 documents related to the new virus and the wider family of coronaviruses. 13,000 of them were processed so that computers could read the basic data, as well as information about the authors and their affiliations. Kaggle, a subsidiary of Google and a platform that usually organizes data science competitions, has created challenges with around 10 key questions related to the coronavirus. These issues range from risk factors and non-drug treatments to the genetic properties of the virus and vaccine development efforts. The project also includes the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (named after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan) and Georgetown University Center for Security and Emerging Technologies.

Artificial intelligence, observer and predictor of the evolution of the pandemic

Canadian company BlueDot is credited with early detection of the virus using artificial intelligence and its ability to continuously review over 100 data sets, such as news, airline ticket sales, demographics, climate data and animal populations. BlueDot detected what was then thought to be a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan and identified the cities most likely to experience it.

A team of researchers working with Boston Children's Hospital has also developed artificial intelligence to track the spread of the coronavirus. Called HealthMap, the system integrates data from Google searches, social media and blogs, as well as discussion forums: sources of information that epidemiologists don't typically use, but which are useful for identifying the first signs of an outbreak and assessing response. the public.

The International Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) in Slovenia, under the auspices of UNESCO, launched a "smart" media watch on the coronavirus called Corona Virus Media Watch which provides updates on global and national news based on a selection of media with open information on the Internet Tool. also developed with the support of the OECD and the Event Registry information extraction technology, is presented as a useful source of information for policy makers, the media and the public to monitor emerging trends related to COVID-19 in their countries and around the world.

Artificial intelligence as an aid to healthcare personnel

For their part, two Chinese companies have developed artificial intelligence-based coronavirus diagnosis software. Beijing-based startup Infervision has trained its software to detect lung problems using computed tomography scans. Initially used to diagnose lung cancer, the software can also detect pneumonia associated with respiratory diseases such as the coronavirus. According to reports, at least 34 Chinese hospitals have used the technology to help them track 32,000 suspected cases.
Alibaba Academy DAMO, the research arm of Chinese company Alibaba, has also trained an artificial intelligence system to recognize coronaviruses with 96% accuracy. According to the company, the system can process the 300 to 400 scans needed to diagnose the coronavirus in 20 to 30 seconds, while the same operation by an experienced doctor would normally take 10 to 15 minutes. The system is said to have helped at least 26 Chinese hospitals screen more than 30,000 cases.

In South Korea, artificial intelligence is said to have helped cut the time it takes to design test kits based on the genetic makeup of the virus to a few weeks, which would normally take two to three months. The biotechnology company Seegene used its automated test development system to develop the complete test and distribute it widely. Large-scale testing is indeed key to overcoming containment measures, and this testing policy appears to have contributed to the relative control of the pandemic in this country, which has equipped 118 medical facilities with the device and tested more than 230,000 people.

Artificial intelligence as a tool for population control

The example set by Singapore in the control of epidemic risks, supported by technology, is certainly unique and difficult to export due to the social acceptance of restrictive security measures: issuing a restricted order for the population at risk, verification of compliance with measures via mobile phone and geolocation , random home inspections and the like. Artificial intelligence has been used quite widely to support such mass surveillance policies, such as in China, where devices are used to measure the temperature and recognize individuals, or to equip law enforcement agencies with "smart" helmets capable of tagging individuals. with high body temperature. However, facial recognition devices have experienced difficulties due to wearing surgical masks, which is why one company is trying to circumvent this difficulty as many services in China now rely on this technology, including state services for surveillance measures. Thus, Hanwon claims to have created a device to increase the recognition rate of surgical mask wearers to 95%. In Israel, a plan has been developed to use individual phone tracking to warn users not to mix with people who potentially carry the virus. In South Korea, an alert relayed to health authorities is triggered when people do not comply with the isolation period, for example by being in a crowded place, such as on public transport or a shopping mall. In Taiwan, a mobile phone is given to infected people and records their GPS location so that the police can track their movements and ensure that they do not stray from the isolation site. In Italy, a company has also developed a smartphone app that can be used to trace the route of a person infected with the virus and alert people who have had contact with him or her. According to the designer, privacy would be guaranteed, as the app does not reveal phone numbers or personal information. In Lombardy, telephone operators have made available data on the movement of mobile phones from one telephone terminal to another.

In the US, the tension can be seen between guaranteeing individual rights and protecting collective interests during this health crisis. Thus, GAFAM has available in the US information that would be extremely valuable in times of crisis: a huge amount of data on the American population. Larry Brilliant, an epidemiologist and CEO of Google.org, claims that it can "change the face of public health" and believes that "few things in life are more important than the question of whether mainstream technologies are too powerful, but a pandemic is undoubtedly one of them." . Therefore, the US government has asked these companies to have access to anonymous data, especially on mobile phones, in order to fight the spread of the virus. However, these companies were wary of the legal risk and potential image damage. Data regulation would likely help shape the public-private dialogue and determine what types of emergencies should be subject to collective interest over individual rights (as well as the terms and guarantees of such a mechanism), but Congress has not made progress in recent years. two years of this law.

Finally, attempts at disinformation have spread to social networks and the Internet. Whether it was the virus itself, the way it spread, or the means to combat its effects, many rumors circulated. Artificial intelligence is a technology already used with some effectiveness by platforms to combat inappropriate content. UNICEF adopted a statement on March 9, 2020 on disinformation about the coronavirus in which it intends to "proactively take steps to ensure accurate information about the virus by working with the World Health Organization, government authorities and online partners such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, to ensure that accurate information and advice is available, and by taking steps to inform the public when incorrect information appears." It is also planned to introduce restrictive measures in the member states of the Council of Europe in order to avoid inciting public concern. However, the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts on the Media Environment and Media Reforms (MSI-REF) underlined in a statement dated March 21, 2020 that "the crisis situation should not be used as an excuse to limit public access to information . States introduce restrictions on media freedom beyond the limits permitted by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The committee also points out that "member states, together with all media actors, should strive to ensure an environment conducive to quality journalism."

Artificial intelligence and assessment of its use after the crisis

Therefore, digital technology, including information technology and artificial intelligence, have proven to be important tools to help build a coordinated response to this pandemic. The multiple uses illustrate the limits of what can currently be achieved with this technology, which we cannot expect to compensate for structural difficulties such as those experienced by many healthcare facilities around the world. The search for efficiency and cost reduction in hospitals, often supported by information technology, should not reduce the quality of services or jeopardize universal access to care, even in exceptional circumstances.

Finally, it should be possible to assess the immediate measures taken at the end of the crisis in order to identify the benefits and problems faced by the use of digital tools and artificial intelligence. In particular, temporary measures of control and mass surveillance of the population with this technology should not be trivialized nor made permanent.
Data protection standards such as Council of Europe Convention 108 (+) must still be applied fully and under all circumstances: whether it is the use of biometric data, geolocation, facial recognition or use of health data. The use of emergency measures should be carried out in full consultation with the competent data protection authorities and respect the dignity and private life of the users. The different biases of different types of surveillance operations should be taken into account, as they can cause significant discrimination.

* Review conducted by the Ad Hoc Secretariat of the Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAHAI). This publication is intended to provide a non-exhaustive review of media articles and other available public sources. It does not reflect the views of CAHAI and the Council of Europe.