Is There a Place for Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Pandemics? A Tale of Two Countries

Area of Science:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Public Health
• Digital Health

Background:

• Deployment of AI-based COVID-19 digital proximity tracking and tracing applications.
• Need for responsible AI considerations in public health tools.
• Comparison of AI application deployment in Qatar and the United Kingdom.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine responsible AI considerations in COVID-19 tracing applications.
• Analyze alignment with the Good AI Society's framework.
• Assess sentiment analysis of official tweets regarding AI applications.

Main Methods:

• Alignment level analysis with the Good AI Society's framework.
• Sentiment analysis of official tweets.
• Diagnostic analysis of AI applications in Qatar and the UK.

Main Results:

• Qatar's EHTERAZ app: fell short on responsible AI but significantly controlled the pandemic.
• UK's NHS COVID-19 app: limited success in fighting the virus despite better AI adherence.
• Contrastive findings highlight the need for contextual responsible AI evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Responsible AI requirements need practical and contextual views in healthcare.
• Balancing responsible AI principles with pandemic control pressures is crucial.
• Guidance is needed for effective and ethical AI deployment in public health crises.