In December 2019, when few people could point to Wuhan on a map and even fewer knew what a coronavirus was, a risk software company in Toronto was already using AI to scrawl through websites and databases and accurately predict a global pandemic of almost unprecedented scale.
BlueDot’s AI-powered approach is just one of a series of successful technological responses to Covid-19 that is highlighted by a landmark report from the Future Investment Initiative Institute (FII-I), a global foundation based in Saudi Arabia.
The inaugural issue of the FII-I’s Impact series of reports– “Winning the Battle of Disease Together” – focuses on the most promising technologies for preventing and containing future health crises.
“The need to find sustainable, innovative solutions to the threat of pandemic disease has never been more urgent,” Richard Attias, CEO of FII-I, says.
With contributions from leading epidemiologists and other experts, the report offers actionable “Call to Impact” recommendations for governments, healthcare officials, investors and the general public, including:
- Leveraging the power of big data to better predict where infectious diseases could emerge to enable take swift action and prevent them spreading;
- Investing in AI and machine learning to further accelerate the development of vaccines and speed up the discovery of new antibiotic compounds; and
- Ensuring national response strategies are thorough, guiding nations from lockdown measures through to relaxing restrictions and returning to a normal state
The FII-I will follow up this first report with a second Impact publication dedicated to sustainability.
The series forms part of preparations for the flagship Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference, which will take place in the Saudi capital Riyadh on October 28-29 with a “Neo-Renaissance” theme. Last year, more than 6,000 leading CEOs, investors and policymakers from around the world attended FII 2019.
In the run-up to the conference, the FII Institute is stepping up its activities in accordance with its mission of curating and enabling new ideas that can solve some of the world’s most pressing issues, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Covid-19 is unprecedented in its scale, impact, and speed,” Attias says.
“At the same time, we may have a unique opportunity to shift our thinking on key health concerns, drive an exceptional level of global collaboration, and support the development of ground-breaking technologies.
“This crisis has shown that our strength lies in cooperation and the sharing of knowledge – a message that is deeply embedded in the vision and mission of the FII Institute.”
