Comment by john_minsk | Hacker News Reader

Comment by john_minsk | Hacker News Reader

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Well, we've heard about all kinds of useful implications of big companies and governments hoarding enormous amounts of data on us and ever more sophisticated methods of analysis of this data (AI).

The technologies and infrastructure in question:

- video/image analysis + nationwide networks of cameras created to "protect us"

- geospatial data and live tracking of GPS coordinates on everyone's phones + on cell towers.

- passport/immigration controls at borders

Would be great if countries could mobilize this infrastructure in times like this, but I don't think this is happening in the West. China/South Korea were more effective in this regard.

And it definitely shows the state of "AI" - it can do what it is trained to do. We still can't throw AI at some arbitrary problem with many moving parts and expect it to come up with best available ideas.

Google made a report using geospatial data and tracking of GPS and even anonymized it. https://www.google.com/covid19/mobility/

There is extensive research in using data and statistical modeling ("AI") to help with the coronavirus efforts and there has been a ton of work invested. [1] You have to note covid-19 has been affecting western countries since february and it's april now. Not that much you can manage in 2 months. We probably could have and should have done more when we saw the situation in november, but that is a different topic.

[1] https://arxiv.org/pdf/2003.11336.pdf

I've seen this. But it is not even close to our(Google/Government/Facebook/"AI") potential.

I was thinking more along the lines: once somewhere in hospital some patient is diagnosed with COVID-19 - I get a notification on my phone: "Hey you potentially contacted confirmed case on {date} for {#} minutes being within {#} meters" Please monitor your condition and try to self-isolate. Probability of you having the virus is x%"

AI here should optimise criteria for people to notify based on probability of getting the virus.

I'm sure there will be a lot of research in current situation and in years to come. But there should be some level of such intelligence available in the system by default. And our default in real world currently is very low, compared to the marketing materials of AI companies.

I'm sure we are doing the best we can BTW, just wish it would be more

UPDATE: I'm not from Google while previous version implied that.

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