AI sees wider use amid the pandemic

Artificial intelligence is playing an active part in helping the world contain the COVID-19 pandemic, which will accelerate its use in healthcare, industrial production, and other sectors, company executives said.

"Though the pandemic has pressed a pause button on many aspects of our lives, it accelerates the digitalization trend in society and fuels the integration of AI and healthcare," Liang Yali, vice-president of the sales, marketing and communications group at Intel, said.

According to Liang, Intel has pledged $40 million in a pandemic response technology initiative to combat the coronavirus through accelerating access to technology at the point of patient care, speeding scientific research, and ensuring access to online learning for students.

Intel and its partners have been working to use AI, high-performance cloud computing, edge computing and other cutting-edge technologies to help accelerate research on the contagion, Liang said.

Chai Xiangfei, CEO and founder of Huiying Medical Technology Co Ltd, an emerging AI medical company, said the company has developed an AI-enabled auxiliary diagnostic system to help reduce the burden on the frontline doctors.

The system was used in more than 20 hospitals in China in February to help classify pneumonia caused by the virus. As confirmed cases of the deadly virus rise overseas, the company's AI auxiliary diagnostic system has been used in hospitals in over 40 countries and regions, including Ecuador, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.

Pan Jing, CEO of Shanghai-based medical robot developer TmiRob, said the company's robots have been used in more than 200 hospitals in China to conduct disinfection. "Using robots in isolated wards can effectively reduce cross-infection," Pan said.

Du Xinze, an analyst at CCID Consulting, said China's AI industry is at the critical point of progressing from the growth stage to the maturity stage.