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Artificial Intelligence in Health

REVIEW ARTICLE
Artificial intelligence in the battle against

COVID-19: A comprehensive review

2,3
1
2†
Emma Yann Zhang *, Adrian David Cheok *, Zhigeng Pan , Jun Cai ,
1†
and Ying Yan 2
1 School of Artificial Intelligence, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing,
Jiangsu, China
2 School of Automation, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu,
China
3 Anhui Jianzhu University, Shushan District, Hefei City, Anhui, China

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a global crisis, affecting all facets of human
life. The rapid spread of the virus necessitated urgent responses from the healthcare
sector, with artificial intelligence (AI) taking center stage as a pivotal tool in this fight.
This paper provides a comprehensive review of the multifaceted role of AI during the
pandemic, spanning from early detection and diagnosis to treatment, management,
and the development of vaccines. We delve into the ethical and societal implications
of deploying AI in such critical scenarios, discussing data privacy, algorithmic bias, and
† These authors contributed equally
to this work. accessibility. The paper also presents various case studies, highlighting country-specific
implementations and the dichotomy of success stories and failures. Furthermore, we
*Corresponding authors: explore the future directions of AI in healthcare, emphasizing emerging technologies
Emma Yann Zhang
(202351620003@nuist.edu.cn) and policy recommendations that could shape post-pandemic health-care systems.
Adrian David Cheok The conclusion synthesizes these insights, reflecting on the lessons learned and the
(adrian@imagineeringinstitute.org) prospective landscape of AI in global health. This paper aims to serve as a cornerstone
Citation: Zhang EY, Cheok AD, for policymakers, health-care providers, and AI researchers, guiding the responsible
Pan Z, Cai J, Yan Y. Artificial and effective integration of AI in future health-care strategies.
intelligence in the battle against
COVID-19: A comprehensive review.
Artif Intell Health. 2024;1(2): 1-15.
doi: 10.36922/aih.2401 Keywords: COVID-19; Artificial intelligence; Machine learning; Data privacy; Wearable
technologies: Telemedicine; Vaccine development; Ethical implications
Received: December 11, 2023
Accepted: January 15, 2024
Published Online: April 4, 2024
1. Introduction
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article 1.1. Background
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has had a
License, permitting distribution, profound impact on global health, economies, and daily life. First identified in Wuhan,
1-3
and reproduction in any medium, China, in late 2019, the virus has since spread worldwide, leading to significant morbidity
provided the original work is
4
properly cited. and mortality. Governments and healthcare systems have been stretched to their limits,
endeavoring to manage the crisis effectively. 5
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with In this global crisis, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool in the
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional fight against COVID-19. AI technologies have been employed in various capacities,
affiliations. from early detection and diagnosis to vaccine development and public health policy

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2024) 1 doi: 10.36922/aih.2401