Microsoft AI for Health

2020

The plan to invest $20 million for fight against COVID-19 coronavirus

On April 9, 2020 Microsoft reported that it invests $20 million for fight against COVID-19 coronavirus within the AI for Health program, which purpose – to provide to the companies, non-profit organizations and scientists in the field of health care access to tools of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other necessary resources. The company made the decision on expansion of the program to help those who are engaged in search of means for fight against one of the most important problems of the present – COVID-19 coronavirus.

Technologies can play a crucial role in many aspects connected with fight against COVID-19 since analytics of propagation vectors of a virus before determination of effects of treatment. The initiative will be focused on 5 main directions:

1. Аналитика data. Informing for security of people;
2. Лечение and diagnostics. Carrying out researches for development of vaccines and methods of diagnostics and treatment of a disease;
3. Распределение resources. Development of recommendations about distribution of limited resources, such as places in hospitals and the medical equipment;
4. Распространение reliable information. Support of reliable information for minimization of quantity of false news;

#Научные researches. Support of scientific activity to allow to study better COVID-19.
This initiative became a part of global efforts of Microsoft on fight against COVID-19 within which the company including gives opportunities of distance learning and remote work.

Start of the program for health sector of AI for Health

On January 30, 2020 announced Microsoft start of the five-year AI for Health program within which it invests $40 million in artificial intelligence technologies (AI) for health sector within five years. The initiative will allow the companies, non-profit organizations and scientists to get access to AI tools, cloud computing and other necessary resources, including monetary grants.

The main aspects and the principles on which the program will be focused:

• Research activity. The company will render to scientists assistance in research and to provide necessary resources to allow doctors to make more precisely diagnoses, to appoint treatment and to prevent diseases. Dangerous diseases which can be investigated using artificial intelligence include, in particular, the syndrome of sudden children's death (SSCD), a diabetic retinopathy and many others.
• Analytics. Microsoft will promote global information exchange for increase in understanding by the international community of factors of longevity and death rate. At the same time Microsoft will pay special attention to confidentiality of medical data.
• Respect for the principles of equality. The company intends to support elimination of inequality in the field of health care for the purpose of providing access to medical care to the population of developing countries.

The initiative is a part of the AI for Good project in which the company invests $165 million. It is directed to the solution of the most difficult tasks of society using artificial intelligence.