The Next Pandemic Could Be Averted With AI, Apps, and Big Data

When a woman riding on her motorcycle in rural northern Thailand spotted a cow frothing at the mouth, she pulled over, snapped a few photos, and reported it on a mobile app. Local health authorities stepped in to limit the spread of foot-and-mouth disease to three cows, and farmers averted millions of dollars of potential losses, which would have been catastrophic for the village.

The platform used in that 2016 case is now poised to expand to other countries in Asia and Africa, with Covid-19 putting such projects in the spotlight and underscoring the importance of heightened surveillance and quick action, especially in small communities. “Covid tells us that we need eyes and ears in these places,” says Patipat Susumpow, who developed the early warning system.