SAN FRANCISCO, 16 March (BelTa - Xinhua) - Google is striving to help people stay safe in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic with its high-tech tools, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, said in an announcement on Sunday.
According to the announcement, Google commits 50 million U.S. dollars to global COVID-19 response, focusing on health and science and is partnering with the U.S. government in developing a website dedicated to COVID-19 education, prevention, and local resources nationwide. The initial version will be rolling out late Monday, March 16.
Based on data from governments and other authoritative sources, Google Search and Maps will be able to display the temporary closures of schools and local businesses. "We're also using our artificial intelligence technology to ... confirm their updated business hours," Pichai said.
The announcement also said that Google has been removing COVID-19 misinformation on YouTube, Google Maps and its developer platforms to protect people from misinformation including the medically unproven methods to prevent coronavirus in place of seeking medical treatment.
As more employees have been asked to work at home to help slow the spread of COVID-19, Google made its video conferencing app available to G Suite customers at no cost until July 1, 2020. "In the coming weeks, we'll launch a Distance Learning Fund," Pichai added.
He confirmed that Alphabet's Verily is working in collaboration with California state, local and federal health authorities to help establish testing sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, and on an online tool to increase risk screening and testing for people at high risk of COVID-19.
"Californians will be able to take an online COVID-19 screener survey through Verily's Project Baseline, and those who meet eligibility and requirements for testing will be directed to mobile testing sites based on capacity," he said. "The plan is to expand to other locations over time."
