Social Simulation of COVID-19 with AI in Japan

This book summarises the research findings of the COVID-19 AI & Simulation Project in Japan. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to public health systems and socioeconomic stability worldwide, necessitating rapid, computational and evidence-based decision-making under extreme uncertainty. The project exemplifies the integration of advanced computational modeling with public policy formation. The project developed a comprehensive framework for pandemic response that bridged the gap between scientific analysis and practical policy implementation by deploying artificial intelligence, complex network analysis, multi-agent simulations, fluid simulation, and laser optics. In the project, implementing deep learning technologies has enabled access to extensive infection spread data, allowing for machine learning-based predictions. Additionally, agent-based simulation was extensively utilized in this project. Agent-based simulation involves recreating a virtual real-world environment where numerous human-like agents interact dynamically. This approach facilitates the reproduction of complex societal problems and the exploration of potential solutions, which can be fed back into real-world problem-solving. This book serves as a valuable record of how AI and simulation technologies were applied in response to the unprecedent crisis posed by the COVID-19 in Japan. The insights gained from this endeavor will contribute to preparedness for the next inevitable pandemic.