Sechenov University is planning to launch a new AI virtual agent to answer questions about the COVID-19 pandemic. The new chatbot will be based on IBM Watson Assistant for Citizens on IBM public cloud. The new programme is designed for Sechenov employees and students, as well as any other interested parties to help find answers about COVID-19, including measures taken by Sechenov University in order to prevent the spread of the virus.
“It is extremely important to raise people’s awareness of the coronavirus disease and measures to prevent it, as well as of existing restrictions. We need to stress the importance of self-isolation and motivate citizens to comply with it,” said Marina Sekacheva, Director of the Institute of Personalised Medicine at Sechenov University. “In addition, our new virtual assistant will allow to reduce workload on the hotlines, find personalised information, as well as answers to common COVID-19 questions. Sechenov University prioritises the development of digital healthcare, while the many years of cooperation with IBM have allowed us to quickly respond to the new challenge."
“Facilitating the search for the right information is one of the most striking and accessible examples of the use of AI technologies for the benefit of humans,” said Maxim Serebryany, Head of the IBM Client Center in Russia. “It is a socially significant and timely opportunity for Sechenov University to incorporate advanced communication technologies available in the public cloud.”