GPAI’s AI and Pandemic Response Working Group work in 2021
Launched in 2020, the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) is an international and multistakeholder initiative to guide the responsible development and use of artificial intelligence consistent with human rights, fundamental freedoms, and shared democratic values, as reflected in the OECD Recommendation on AI.
We are co-chairing the AI and Pandemic Response Working Group (AIPR WG) which was formed in light of the current international context. The AIPR WG brings together AI practitioners, healthcare experts, members and international organizations to support the responsible development and use of AI-enabled solutions to COVID-19 and other future pandemics.
Since we introduced the AIPR WG last year, our working group has met regularly to discuss the use of AI among the public and healthcare professionals in the global response to pandemics.
As part of GPAI’s 2021 work, the AIPR WG has prioritized two projects:
- Project “AI-powered immediate response to pandemics”
This project is led by:
- Michael O’Sullivan, Senior Lecturer of Engineering, University of Auckland
- Paul Suetens, Professor Emeritus, KU Leuven
The overarching goal of this project is to support impactful and practical AI initiatives to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This will consist in updating and upgrading a living repository of AI initiatives developed and used in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as an impact evaluation leading to the selection of 1-3 of the most promising (impactful, practical and scalable) initiatives which could be supported by GPAI.
Note: A consultancy opportunity is currently open for this project for updating and upgrading an existing living repository of AI initiatives to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please refer to the Call for Proposal for more information. Proposals must be submitted before Midnight AoE, JUNE 18, 2021.
- Project “AI for Public-Domain Drug Discovery”
This project is led by:
- Yoshua Bengio, Founder and Scientific Director, Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute
- Alice Oh, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
The objective of this project is to develop a set of recommendations for member countries (and the international community in general) to create an enabling international environment for open AI research towards the development of new drugs (or the repurposing of existing ones) to address public health challenges. Literature reviews and participatory approaches will be part of the work of this project.
If you have further questions, comments, ideas or requests about the Responsible AI Working Group’s future work, then please get in touch with GPAI’s Montreal Centre of Expertise via info@ceimia.org.
