IoT and AI Aid Critical Event Management to Battle COVID-19, but Deployment could Raise Privacy Concerns

In coping with an emerging crisis, the need for accurate and actionable information is paramount for effective response – but there has never before been a scenario like the current COVID-19 pandemic. Responders are looking to new technologies including IoT and AI to help tackle this outbreak, but their deployment may have a far-reaching impact on our privacy. How can these technologies contribute to response, both globally and locally – and what privacy concerns could they raise, both now and in the months to follow? The evolution of IoT and AI has grown to the point where these technologies can now be called on to make a real contribution to responding to a crisis manifesting both globally and locally. Globally, modern analytics can learn about the factors of spread that can help analysts identify where actions need to be taken.