Google, a few years ago worked with eye specialists in India and the U.S. on an AI system to help doctors analyze images of the back of the eye for signs of diabetic retinopathy. The AI model now detects diabetic retinopathy with a level of accuracy on par with human retinal specialists. This means doctors and staff can use this assistive technology to screen more patients in less time, sparing people from blindness through a more timely diagnosis.
The company is rolling out this diabetic retinopathy initiative in clinics in India with its partner Verily, and it also conducting research in Thailand over the past few months. At the AI for Social Good Summit in Bangkok hosted by Google and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the company has announced a partnership with the Rajavithi Hospital, which is operated by the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand, kicking off a forward-looking research pilot using AI to detect diabetic retinopathy in Thailand.
To ensure that all sectors contribute to the development of AI in the Asia Pacific, Google is supporting the creation of an Asia Pacific AI for Social Good Research Network with a grant. This network will bring together leading academics from the Association of Pacific Rim Universities to produce research on AI for social good. It will also have a governance framework to guide the responsible development of AI. The network will also be a forum for researchers to discuss these issues with the government, civil society, and the private sector.
Google said that it will continue to work with many organizations to identify and address these challenges, and unlike some other companies, Google Cloud has chosen not to offer general-purpose facial recognition APIs before working through important technology and policy questions.