International Data Sharing and Artificial Intelligence Cooperation in Global Public Health Emergencies: A Virtual Roundtable

Governments and private actors are leveraging the power of big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor and contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Secure, timely and reliable data collection and sharing on a global scale are critical to understanding how the virus spreads, maximizing the effectiveness of government policies, and promoting international cooperation in the race to create and distribute therapies and vaccines.

A demand for closer, forward-looking international collaboration has emerged from the current crisis. Yet, national governments have not always approached the pandemic with a spirit of cooperation. In many instances, the COVID-19 crisis has sharpened great power rivalries and exposed rifts between allies.

This roundtable will provide a platform for discussion among global health experts, data scientists, researchers, AI and machine learning practitioners, and privacy advocates.

UN Global Pulse is happy to join and share its expertise as part of the panel on Data Sharing, Artificial Intelligence Cooperation, and the Transnational Response to COVID-19. The session will be dedicated to the issue of transnational collaboration among researchers racing to support the response to COVID-19.