In the months since the novel coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, last December, almost 2,000 research papers have been published on the health effects of the new virus, possible treatments, and the dynamics of the resulting pandemic.

This outpouring of research is a testament to the speed with which science can tackle big problems. But it also presents a headache for anyone wanting to stay up to date with the literature, or hoping to mine it for insight about the virus, its behavior, or possible treatments.

Naturally, some believe that artificial intelligence may help. Monday, the White House announced a project in collaboration with tech companies and academics to make a huge amount of coronavirus research accessible to AI researchers and their algorithms for the first time.

The effort will ask AI to mine through the avalanche of research to answer questions that could help medical and public health experts. By cross-referencing papers and searching for patterns, AI algorithms might help discover new possible treatments or factors that make the virus worse for some patients.

Read the full article in Wired.