COVID-19: Big Data Battles the Virus

Overview

The fight against the novel coronavirus is entering a new phase, as people worldwide begin to resume normal life alongside an invisible enemy. To help win this battle, experts are turning to a potentially potent weapon: big data. Using AI, NHK teams up with Japan's leading scientists to analyze the massive volume of research on the virus and spot promising trends. Meanwhile, as efforts to contain the virus using big data from smartphones raise personal privacy concerns, developers in Japan are working on an app that ensures users' anonymity. And Nobel Laureate Yamanaka Shinya of Kyoto University joins us in the studio as we explore the mechanisms of the virus and possible treatments.