South Korean data processing solution developer DataStreams said Wednesday that it has been chosen as a preferred bidder by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Information Society Agency, or NIA, to participate in a project to create a big data platform for infectious diseases.

DataStreams is currently in negotiations with the NIA and is set to officially sign the deal later this month.

The project worth 7 billion won ($5.5 million) will create a database to integrate information concerning diseases, communication, the economy and medicine. It will be used to back future quarantine policymaking, to support the development of new medications and vaccines and to analyze how infectious diseases affect the economy, according to the data processing company.

The project will also develop an artificial intelligence-based prediction model to allow effective actions to be taken in the case of another pandemic.

The company said it hopes to expand into the AI sector through this project.

“This project will act as a stepping-stone for DataStreams to become an AI firm,” said the company’s AI research group director, Lee Dong-hyun.

“Starting with this project, DataStreams will continue to cooperate with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, the National Cancer Center, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and Seoul National University to develop an AI medical data application service,” said DataStreams CEO Lee Young-sang.

By Lee Seung-ku (seungku99@heraldcorp.com)