What does processing 1.3 billion inputs of data daily look like, you might wonder? Samdesk has that answer because they do just that. Samdesk has brought a new meaning to using real-time data by revolutionizing what it means to process live content posted online through social media and open web sources by alerting their clients on global events before they hit the mainstream news. Their ability to revolutionize real-time data allowed for samdesk to report on the explosion in Beirut 11 minutes before the local news and 55 minutes before international news. Samdesk takes real-time data and uses AI technology to deliver fast and accurate crisis alerts, drawing from reliable sources to support their existing clients' security and business needs. With that said, samdesk continues to evolve their platform by leveraging AI technology to quantify disruptive events. Events that may have not been as predictable prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has allowed samdesk to view new crisis events through the lens of a global pandemic which has changed the way samdesk processes data and how that data impacts their clients.  

Samdesk has been working for years to filter real-time data into actionable, relevant ‘streams’ for their clients' needs.  COVID-19 changed the way information is shared online and what that information means, not only from an immediate reaction standpoint but also how it trickles down and affects different facets of society. From very early on in the crisis, samdesk's clients needed to know what events were happening due to COVID- 19, the first identification of a shift within their clients' needs. "We are in the real-time crisis response game,” states James Neufeld, CEO of samdesk (not related to Jonathan Neufeld, CEO of TECTERRA). “Samdesk steps in across many different clients, assisting them with many issues such as supply chain management during the pandemic. When do our clients need to be aware of a lock down and its impact? When do they need to understand how to safely re-open and the parameters? There are so many real time decisions that need to be made to keep people safe." The critical requirements for speed of alerts and situational awareness remained the same, but the sought-after events impacting their clients had changed. During the first days of the global pandemic and the world began to lockdown, information on if schools, offices, airports or other buildings were closing was critical. Samdesk immediately developed an AI model to deliver on these needs within days - something they had never done before. Additionally, samdesk's clients needed to know if their teams or locations were being affected and how their competitors were strategizing and responding to the pandemic. Instantly, samdesk had to alter their product roadmap due to these new requirements. Samdesk developed and implemented a new AI model to provide an immediate COVID-19 solution and models to alert for curfews, border closures, lockdowns and disease outbreaks.  

samdesk COVID-19 Stream

As the pandemic progressed, samdesk noted the need for information became more focused on local and national lockdown updates. "Before COVID-19, we had never once been asked to develop such coverage. Similarly, a lockdown before 2020 was rarely referred to or looked into for a town, city, or country," explained Louise Tierney, SVP, Alerts & Data at samdesk. "Another need brought forward was updating on outbreaks of the disease, which required a lot of thought on our part. Trying to detect signals indicating new outbreaks of COVID-19, without being tripped up by false positives, in an online climate where COVID-19 is discussed as a dominating topic was certainly one of the trickier things we had to solve." Clients were also focusing on requesting new data on geopolitical coverage as it relates to COVID-19. Before the year 2020, data requests for border closures and regional lockdowns were rare to non-existent. New data demands from clients have also been triggered by events like Brexit-induced border delays and foreign policy shifts. These types of events and policy changes are driving business needs. Needing to have insight into impacts on technological developments pushing new business, such as data breaches and cyber attacks, has increased dramatically in 2021. The team at samdesk took these new areas of interest and provided a tool called Expanded Events to give a never-seen-before ability to dive into real-time data. The new tool offers an increased look into situational awareness for any crisis alert by providing the opportunity to expand an event by receiving additional relevant data that could impact the incident in real-time. Digging deeper into data (precise locations, videos, images, social media posts, etc.) for an event playing out in real-time gives their clients eyes and ears on the ground, with a further look into the event going on right then and there. 

samdesk COVID-19 Expanded Events Tool

In 2021, we all are navigating a new normal in a post-pandemic world. Samdesk has taken a global event that none of us could have seen coming to help their clients make the world a safer place, all while taming the fire hose of real-time data. COVID-19 has proven that you cannot predict a crisis, but you can prepare for the unknown. Samdesk has seen vast differences in response and recovery time across the globe. One of their main understandings continuously confirmed is that fast and accurate information is the most critical resource during a crisis. Innovation for real-time data and what can be done with it gets bigger and better every day. Samdesk had one of the most momentous events in modern history unfold in front of their eyes. Samdesk continues to revolutionize real-time data to ensure their clients can respond faster and more effectively in times when action can make the biggest difference. Learn more about samdesk here.