IIM February 2020 Newsletter Articles

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear fellow information professionals.

As Australia started a lengthy and difficult process of recovery from the bushfires that engulfed our country in recent months, we are faced with another crises that is spreading around the world.  The coronavirus has already spread to 25 countries all over the planet, infecting over 20,000 people.

In his recent press conference statement in relation to the Novel Coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Scott Morison highlighted that  "...a key part of our armoury in dealing with this coronavirus issue is Information and having the right information and ensuring people are going to the right source of information and making decisions based on that accurate information.  And I would encourage all Australians to focus on getting that information from the trusted sources ..."
(Scott Morrison, Press Conference, 29 Jan 2020, Australian Parliament House). 

As information is in the core of our interests, passion and specialisation, we echo this message and strive to provide you with the intelligent information for smarter decisions.

Among many other interesting articles, this issue of your IIM newsletter aims to provide you with some essential information about coronavirus, how it is spreading, how it works, how to protect yourself and make smarter and informed decisions about the safety and well-being of your family.  

Understanding the essential facts related to viruses and having right information are fundamental for the proper understanding, protection and response in crisis like this, in order to minimise the health risks to yourself and people around you.
 
Vladimir Videnovic
National President

Novel Coronavirus Outbreak Information

Coronaviruses is a family of viruses that can cause mild illness, such as the common cold and gastrointestinal infections, as well as more severe illness.  We are currently exposed to  an outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus called ‘novel coronavirus’ or ‘2019nCoV’.  
 
This article provides some additional information about the coronavirus, how it works, how it spreads and what to do to protect yourself and people around you.

Globalisation and Health

The importance of information sharing for the prevention and control of infectious diseases has long been recognised.  In recent times, public health emergencies such as avian influenza, drug-resistant malaria, Ebola and now coronavirus outbreak have brought renewed attention to the need for effective communication channels between health authorities, particularly in regional contexts where neighbouring countries share common health threats.  However, little empirical research has been conducted to date to explore the range of factors that may affect the transfer, exchange and use of public health data and expertise across borders.

Reinventing Cybersecurity with Artificial Intelligence – The new frontier in digital security – Capgemini Research Institute

A constantly evolving IT/OT landscape and ever-expanding attack surfaces lead to increasingly complex security challenges. Many firms have already begun exploring how AI in cybersecurity can help mitigate these risks: AI in cybersecurity adoption rates are on the rise. For firms that have yet to start using AI in cybersecurity – as well as firms that are already using it - there are a number of steps that are critical to realizing AI’s cybersecurity potential. Organizations next need to build a roadmap that addresses infrastructure, data systems, applications landscapes, skill gaps, best practices, governance, and use case selection and implementation.

AI-fuelled organisations – Reaching AI’s full potential in the enterprise
 
To become a true AI-fuelled organisation, a company may need to fundamentally rethink the way humans and machines interact within working environments. Executives should also consider deploying machine learning and other cognitive tools systematically across every core business process and enterprise operation to support data driven decision-making. Likewise, AI could drive new offerings and business models.