IDC: Coronavirus To Accelerate Public Sector AI Spending - RTInsights

AI can play a crucial part in automating processes and limiting human involvement to a necessary minimum. Public sector spending on artificial intelligence technologies is expected to accelerate, due to the social distancing measures put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic. According to market research firm IDC, coronavirus may force some businesses to "revise their technology investments downwards", while others, in particular the healthcare industry, should see a spike in AI spend, as short-staffed hospitals look for quicker diagnostics and testing solutions. "AI is a technology that can play a significant role in helping businesses and societies deal with and solve large scale disruption caused by quarantines and lockdowns," said Andrea Minonne, senior research analyst at IDC. "Of all industries, the public sector will experience an acceleration of AI investments. Hospitals are looking at AI to speed up COVID-19 diagnosis and testing and to provide automated remote consultations to patients in self-isolation through chatbots."