AI-enhanced solutions during COVID-19: Current trends and future innovations

Abstract

Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is defined as a branch of Computer Science that is capable of simulating intelligent behavior through machine automation systems. There has been a significant rise in research and application of AI in addressing various aspects of Engineering and Medicine. This mutual overlap between the two fields has led to a new discipline, so-called “Artificial Intelligence in Medicine”, or AIM in short [1]. Not only is AIM being applied for image processing and analysis, but also for prognose [2–4], treatment [5–7], and patient monitoring [1,8] among others. In this matter, AIM has been instrumental during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been brought to global attention and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020 [9]. The exponential increase in the number of cases worldwide has prompted for emergent innovations and collaborations in the fields of Medicine and Engineering. While there have been contrasting opinions on the scope of AI during this period, we are observing a continuum of interdisciplinary growth across this field [10]. The early impact of AI during COVID-19 has been observed in 1) Early warning system and predictive modeling 2) Contact Tracing 3) Diagnostics 4) Drug discovery and development and 5) Social Control. As depicted in Fig. 1, this article aims to explore these domains [10] in the context of AI-assisted applications and their impact on addressing COVID-19. This article describes the contributions of AI during COVID-19, along with trends and innovations related to these technologies in harnessing sustainable healthcare solutions.