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The U.S. continues to see COVID-19 vaccinations gradually increasing nationwide, with nearly 66% of all adults now having at least one vaccine dose according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID Data Tracker. However, disparities have been noted in vaccination rates across races and geographic areas. A new dashboard shows differences in vaccination rates by race across Georgia’s counties.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard displays vaccination rates by race and county, and the differences between white and black vaccination rates, for the entire population and for the 65+ age group in Georgia. The dashboard also has an interactive map as well as an interactive table, which allow users to compare and rank counties by vaccination rates, social vulnerability index, and other indicators of equity.
The dashboard indicated that vaccination rates among white residents are higher than those of Black residents in all large metro counties as well as around 70% of all Georgia counties. As there is a lot of variability in different regions of the state, the researchers wanted to take a closer look from an equity perspective.
The tech team was able to set up the dashboard, working closely with partners at the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). They shared early demos of the dashboard with both DPH and the Georgia Covid-19 Health Equity Council. The dashboard is critical to the job facing the public health community both in targeting areas and population segments in the state with low vaccine coverage rates and understanding broader trends.
The data contained within the vaccine equity dashboard are immensely important for Georgia. While figures like 70% to achieve herd immunity are often quoted, they are only meaningful if applied locally. Even if herd immunity targets are achieved nationally overall, where there are communities that have far lower coverage rates, the potential for virus transmission will persist. This dashboard will help to focus context-specific messaging programs and immunization campaigns so that we can close the doors on this pandemic
Vaccination dashboard results come as a new report shows vaccination coverage was lower among adults living in counties with the highest social vulnerability. According to the CDC, disparities in county-level vaccination coverage by social vulnerability have increased as vaccine eligibility has expanded, especially in large suburban and nonmetropolitan counties.
Vaccination coverage among adults was lower among those living in counties with lower socioeconomic status and with higher percentages of households with children, single parents, and persons with disabilities. The dashboard shows high vaccination rates across both racial groups in some counties, and low rates in those below the poverty level, compared with the national average.
Some counties currently have higher vaccination rates among white residents, including some of the large metro counties, while in a few counties the vaccination rate is higher among Black residents. The researchers acknowledge the multifaceted outreach efforts of health departments to increase vaccination rates across the state and hope that the dashboard will support these efforts.
The research team is updating the dashboard as new data becomes available and finalizing a manuscript summarizing the key findings. They also are actively collecting data from other states to integrate into the dashboard.
This initiative is aligned with a new report that found improving the use of data delivers better outcomes for residents, as reported by OpenGov Asia. Two key areas that have seen improvement are performance management and taking action, according to “Closing the Data Gap: How Cities Are Delivering Better Results for Residents. The report is based on a survey of 44 officials in the What Works Cities (WWC) network, an initiative to increase cities’ use of data.
Cities with crucial data skills and practices in place were able to pivot quickly to respond to the ever-evolving challenges the pandemic presented. The challenges include leaning on existing infrastructure, culture, and staff knowledge to immediately stand up crucial data command centres and public information dashboards in the early months of the pandemic and make critical decisions affecting public health, safety, and well-being. COVID-19 has illustrated the importance of investing in and building foundational data skills and practices that enable a city to respond quickly in the face of disaster.


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A*STAR, in collaboration with a local F&B-centric robotics and automation SME, has developed a joint research and innovation initiative to foster innovation in robotic platforms for the Food Services industry.
This programme will combine both parties’ Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre’s (ARTC) skills to develop solutions that incorporate Food and Beverage (F&B) domain knowledge, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and automation.
The F&B-centric robotics and automation SME and A*STAR’s ARTC will invest S$3.5 million in developing a modular vision platform that can assist robotised operations in F&B by assisting these robots to self-navigate and self-calibrate in dynamic and space-constrained environments such as restaurant kitchens.
The combined effort will also use a digital twin platform to establish a digital representation of the F&B robotic system, allowing for real-time analytics that enables remote monitoring and optimisation of operations, accelerating the deployment of new robotic systems and decreasing operational downtime.
The combined research and innovation project embodies both A*STAR’s and the firm’s desire to leverage mutual capabilities to perform research combining F&B domain expertise, robotics, automation, AI, vision, and digital twin technologies.
The partnership is sure that the technology they produce will assist support and building the digital and automation capabilities of F&B firms. Besides, they believe that this will help Singapore establish itself as a major F&B robotics and automation hub, increase the efficiency of Food Service personnel, and help address the sector’s manpower problem and rising operational expenses.
The collaborative effort intends to create solutions that will enable the Food Services industry to automate operations and boost efficiency, lowering the amount of repetitious and physically demanding work and allowing F&B personnel to focus on higher-value jobs.
A*STAR’s ARTC engages with local enterprises to co-develop breakthrough technologies and co-innovate industry solutions to seize new growth possibilities locally and worldwide, according to Dr David Low, CEO of A*STAR’s ARTC.
He added that such public-private collaborations are critical in bringing complementary expertise together to address problem statements and increase productivity and efficiency in the Fast-Moving Food Services industry and beyond.
The Food Services business is set to expand and evolve further. Digitalisation and automation are critical to assisting F&B businesses in thriving and overcoming obstacles such as a labour shortage.
This collaboration will develop solutions to assist F&B enterprises in optimising their operations. They anticipate more similar cooperation between innovation and IT ecosystem partners to boost F&B company growth.
Drive innovation is critical for the food services industry because it has the potential to revolutionise operations and address significant concerns. Innovation serves as fuel for growth and sustainability in an era characterised by technical advancements and shifting consumer expectations.
Automation streamlines operations and reduces reliance on manual labour. Tasks such as food preparation, cooking, and serving can be carried out more efficiently by adding robotics, AI, and automation technology, resulting in higher productivity and lower operational expenses.
Improved consumer experiences are made possible by innovation. From self-ordering kiosks and smartphone apps to personalised recommendations and delivery drones, technology advancements improve consumer convenience, speed, and personalisation. This results in increased client happiness and loyalty, which ultimately drives corporate success.
It is also critical in addressing labour shortages. With rising labour costs and a diminishing workforce, automation and robotics provide options to fill the gaps, allowing food service enterprises to remain efficient and successful.
In addition, food service industry innovation can reduce environmental effects. Through innovative technologies, sustainable practices such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, and eco-friendly packaging solutions can be integrated, leading to a greener and more socially responsible industry.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued Directive No. 18/CT-TTg, which aims to enhance data connectivity and sharing to foster the growth of e-commerce, prevent tax loss, and safeguard monetary security.
The directive acknowledged that the rapid expansion of the e-commerce market has presented significant challenges in effectively managing e-commerce activities and tax administration. It emphasised the need for close collaboration among specialised management agencies to regulate payment transactions and verify the information of businesses, individuals, and taxpayers in response to the evolving digital business landscape.
The Prime Minister has assigned specific tasks to various ministries and agencies in the directive. They will enhance efficiency and facilitate digital transformation in the governance of e-commerce activities, digital platform trading, cross-border business, and data sharing among ministries and agencies for the advancement of e-commerce.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has been assigned the responsibility to collaborate with other relevant ministries in the process of amending legal documents pertaining to e-commerce. This includes streamlining administrative procedures and implementing strict measures to address tax and customs violations.
It has also been assigned the responsibility of developing a comprehensive plan for data connection and sharing with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC), the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS), the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), and other relevant agencies. This plan aims to strengthen tax administration for e-commerce activities and the provision of cross-border digital products and services. The deadline for completing this plan is set for the third quarter of this year.
MoIC is tasked with coordinating efforts among ministries and agencies to standardise, digitise, connect, and share data pertaining to e-commerce. SBV has been directed to collaborate with MoF and other relevant agencies to establish a mechanism for overseeing payment transactions. This mechanism will specifically support tax administration for cross-border service provision, in accordance with the Law on Tax Administration and other related legislations.
MoPS has been urged to accelerate the integration of the national population database with the databases and information systems of ministries, agencies, and local authorities. This integration is crucial for implementing e-identification and e-authentication systems. The MoPS is also tasked with collaborating with relevant agencies to refine specialised laws and policies that safeguard e-commerce development and monetary security, as well as prevent tax loss.
The Government Office will coordinate with relevant ministries in continuing to promote the integration and provision of online public services, and online payment in the fields of taxation and e-commerce on the National Public Service Portal.
Earlier this week, SBV urged banks, foreign bank branches, and intermediaries in payment services to actively support the advancement of cashless transactions and the implementation of the national digital transformation programme.
The move aims to aid the plan on developing the application of resident data and electronic identification and authentication to support the national digital transformation agenda during the period of 2022-2025, with a vision extending to 2030.
As OpenGov Asia reported, the banks, foreign bank branches, and intermediaries in payment services will persist in their efforts to devise favourable programmes and policies concerning payment and intermediary payment service fees for customers. The SBV has also urged them to waive account maintenance fees and cash withdrawal fees for customers entitled to the social security policy. They have been instructed to proactively engage in practical initiatives to commemorate Cashless Day 2023, which takes place on 16 June, and to continue their efforts throughout the entire month.
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The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) and a major cloud computing company have announced the launch of the Artificial Intelligence Government Cloud Cluster (AGCC), a comprehensive platform designed to accelerate AI adoption in Singapore’s public sector, advance local applied AI research efforts and support the growth of the local AI startup ecosystem.
The AGCC has been implemented by SNDGO and the cloud tech company for usage by Singapore’s government agencies and the research, innovation, and enterprise (RIE) ecosystem. The AGCC is hosted in Singapore in a specialised cloud computing environment.
Agencies can use the AGCC to build and deploy scalable and impactful AI applications rapidly, safely, ethically, and cost-effectively by leveraging an AI technology stack and a vast partner ecosystem of software-as-a-service firms, consultancies, and AI startups. AI technology stack capabilities include:
First, an AI-optimised infrastructure. High-performance A2 supercomputers powered by NVIDIA’s A100 GPUs and hosted in an open, scalable, secure, and energy-efficient infrastructure. This enables cloud developers to train computationally complex AI models at fast speeds while minimising costs and environmental impact.
Customisable first-party, third-party, and open-source AI models follow. A central repository enabling AI practitioners to access pre-trained generative AI models, with built-in features to assist users in customising these models for specific requirements.
The repository contains a wide range of first-party, third-party, and open-source models designed for certain needs. These include models for summarising and translating text in different languages, sustaining an ongoing discussion, converting audio to text, producing, and modifying software code, and generating and repairing written descriptions.
International AI businesses interested in making their foundation models available to Singapore government departments can collaborate with the Cloud computing company to store these models in the repository.
Another category is no-code AI development tools. A Generative AI App Builder enabling developers (especially those with limited technical expertise) to swiftly construct and seamlessly embed chatbots and enterprise search experiences driven by Cloud’s generative AI models.
Finally, there are explainable AI and data governance toolkits. A set of built-in technologies that can assist government agencies in using AI in a secure and responsible manner. This includes features for access control and content moderation, as well as novel mechanisms for incorporating human feedback to improve model performance and the ability to audit the sources of AI model outputs to detect and resolve potential bias and ensure that model behaviour is compliant with regulations.
The Government Technology Agency (GovTech) is Singapore’s first public-sector organisation to use the AGCC. Its Open Government Products (OGP) team has integrated with Vertex AI and is investigating the use of its models in Pair, which are large language model-powered assistants that civil servants can use to help them boost productivity while maintaining the confidentiality of government information.
To help government agencies deploy AI applications as effectively and responsibly as possible, the Cloud tech company will collaborate with GovTech to design and run whole-of-government Digital Academy programmes that will assist agencies in developing in-house data science and AI expertise, developing AI innovation strategies, and implementing data governance best practices.
The programmes will be delivered in a variety of specialised formats to 150,000 public servants from 16 ministries and over 50 statutory boards.
Government agencies in Singapore will be able to use the AGCC and other authorised services through the Government on Commercial Cloud (GCC) 2.0 platform beginning in June 2023. The GCC platform, developed by GovTech, offers agencies a standardised and regulated means to implement commercial cloud solutions.
GCC 2.0, the platform’s second generation, is integrated with cloud-native capabilities and cloud security practices, enabling agencies to access into a larger ecosystem of services and people to accelerate the development of new digital applications.
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Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and the Governor of Michigan jointly renewed and expanded cooperation between Australia and Michigan to foster collaborative efforts in preparing for a transport future that prioritises environmental sustainability, safety, enhanced connectivity, and improved accessibility for communities.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will serve as the foundation for continued collaboration between the automotive and technology sectors of Australia and Michigan, as well as policymakers from both regions.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) highlights the shared dedication of the individual and Governor Gretchen Whitmer to address climate change by reducing emissions in the transport sector. It emphasises the importance of fostering collaboration in developing future technologies and enhancing supply chain connectivity within the sector.
Similar to Michigan, Australia has made a commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. This MOU will facilitate future collaboration between the two jurisdictions, ensuring that the transport sector actively contributes to the overall goal of emissions reduction.
New and emerging transport technologies have the potential to enhance accessibility, safety, reduce congestion, and increase productivity. Recognising the significance of these advancements, the Australian Minister stated that the government assumes a strategic leadership role in facilitating the safe and lawful adoption of such technologies in Australia. In this endeavour, Michigan, known as a longstanding global hub for automotive industry innovation, becomes an important international partner in further advancing its collaborative efforts in the field of transport technology.
Importantly, within the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Australia’s commitment to enhancing the engagement of First Nations businesses in the automotive sector, including future transport business opportunities, is outlined.
This commitment aligns with the Albanese Government’s dedication to ensuring that Australia’s foreign policy reflects the country’s complete identity. The continuation of the collaboration between Australia and Michigan is eagerly anticipated, as it will contribute to the achievement of a better and safer transport future that forms the foundation of prosperity for both regions.
Smart transport, also known as intelligent transport, refers to an advanced infrastructure for transportation that aims to offer innovative services for managing traffic and transport. It encompasses various applications like parking management and guidance, passenger information, and traffic control. The global smart transportation market is anticipated to expand to US$251.0 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2% from 2021 to 2030.
Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are advanced applications that provide ground-breaking services for transportation and traffic management. These systems allow multiple users to be better coordinated and informed through the use of technologies such as car navigation, traffic signal control systems, speed cameras, and real-time data analysis. Achieving this intelligent transportation information involves enhancing infrastructure, implementing sustainable fuels for public transport vehicles, and efficiently providing mobility services in rapidly growing cities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the transportation industry, causing widespread uncertainty and disruption. Despite these challenges, market players in the smart transportation industry have embraced innovative strategies to capitalise on growth opportunities. There is a growing demand for effective traffic management systems and improved transportation infrastructure to ensure passenger safety.
As the world gradually recovers and implements new restrictions and policies, the transportation sector, particularly in the retail industry, is expected to witness a significant recovery. This recovery, coupled with technological advancements in vehicle safety, is likely to have a positive impact on the smart transportation market.
Moreover, the advent of cloud-based technologies and advancements in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-grid infrastructure (V2I) have facilitated the realisation of smart transportation. These technologies are designed to offer ground-breaking services in various aspects of transportation and traffic management. They empower users to access improved information and use transport networks more safely and efficiently.
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State-run Osmania University in Hyderabad has embraced artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to revolutionise its attendance marking process. Now, the tedious waiting to sign attendance registers or use biometric systems is no longer required. Employees simply need to enter the building, and their attendance will be automatically recorded. This is made possible through CCTV cameras equipped with AI and ML technologies, which accurately mark employees’ attendance, log-in and log-out times, as well as their entry and exit from the building.
The functionality of these cameras relies on an integrated facial recognition system. Leveraging cognitive AI capabilities, they identify facial biometrics and synchronise them with the current database to accurately document employee attendance. This innovative solution has been implemented as a pilot project in the main administrative building of the university for its employees. In the future, the university plans to expand the deployment of these cameras to other campus facilities, including offices, classrooms, and hostels.
According to an official from the university, under the manual system, employees often mark their attendance in the morning, leave the office, and return later to record their log-out time. However, with the implementation of CCTV camera-based attendance, this process will undergo a significant change. The cameras continuously capture movement and simultaneously store employees’ log details, eliminating the need for manual recording. To achieve this, AI and ML technologies have been integrated into two cameras.
Additionally, the official noted that the CCTV cameras also capture the log-in information of visitors entering the administrative building. This means that the log details of all visitors are systematically recorded in the database, providing a comprehensive attendance tracking system.
The introduction of CCTV-based attendance eliminates the need for manual attendance registers or time-consuming biometric systems, streamlining the entire process. Students simply need to enter the designated areas covered by CCTV cameras, and their attendance is promptly recorded. This not only saves time but also reduces the chances of errors or misinterpretations.
Moreover, these AI-powered cameras not only capture the presence of students but also provide additional functionalities. Some universities have integrated facial recognition systems to ensure authentication and prevent proxy attendance. The cameras analyse facial biometrics, matching them against the existing database to ensure accurate identification. It can also enable the university to track attendance patterns, identify areas that require improvement, and take proactive measures to enhance student engagement and performance.
Most educational institutions across the country are embracing the advancements brought by AI. Numerous schools and colleges have incorporated AI-based learning techniques to simplify the process of education and effectively teach intricate subjects to students. Additionally, AI’s adaptable learning methods assist teachers in providing personalised attention to each student.
Last year, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-Madras) and the Tamil Nadu State Department of School Education announced they would collaborate to improve and update the digital learning platform for school students to an assessment-focused Learning Management System. It was deployed in high-tech labs in 6,000 government schools, as OpenGov Asia reported. It aimed to improve the quality of learning for around nine million students.
Education in Tamil Nadu’s schools was previously supplemented through a digital learning platform called the Education Management Information System. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras used their AI and data science expertise to come up with ways to improve the way assessments are conducted and develop a framework to disseminate educational material.
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When in the learning process, humans are nurtured by teachers or mentors to acquire knowledge more quickly. Students can grasp when the teacher showed a good or substandard example. Additionally, they can only imitate the teacher’s actions precisely if they exert greater effort to achieve the same level of proficiency. Just like humans, computer scientists can also use “teacher” systems to train another machine to complete a task.
Researchers from MIT and Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, have embarked on developing an algorithm that automatically and independently determines when the student should mimic the teacher (imitation learning) and when it should learn through trial and error (reinforcement learning). The researchers made the machine learn from other machines without a third party anymore to teach, causing it to save a lot of time and energy.
Several current approaches attempting to find a middle ground between imitation learning and reinforcement learning often rely on a laborious process of brute force trial-and-error. Researchers select a weighted blend of the two learning methods, execute the entire training procedure, and iterate the process multiple times to discover the optimal balance. However, this approach is inefficient and often incurs substantial computational costs, rendering it impractical in many cases.
When the researchers embarked on their simulation, it was proved that the combination of trial and error learning allowed students to learn faster and more efficiently than the imitating methodology, as the student can explore more in many ways. By simulating the combination methodology, which uses the experiment and exploration by the student itself, students can combine dots that intersect to produce a comprehensive conclusion.
“Integrating trial-and-error learning and following a teacher yields a remarkable synergy. It grants our algorithm the capability to tackle highly challenging tasks that cannot be effectively addressed by employing either approach independently,” said Idan Shenfeld, an electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) graduate student and Lead Author of a paper on this technique.
The innovative approach enables the student machine to deviate from imitating the teacher’s behaviour when the teacher’s performance is either good or not good. However, the student can later revert to mimicking the teacher’s actions during the training process if it proves to be more beneficial, leading to improved outcomes and accelerated learning.
The proposed approach entails training two separate students. The first student is taught using a combination of reinforcement learning and imitation learning, with the learning process being guided by various techniques.
On the other hand, the second student is trained solely using reinforcement learning, relying exclusively on this approach to learn the same task, minimising the need for extensive parameter adjustments, and delivering exceptional performance.
To give their algorithm an even more difficult test, a simulated environment was established, involving a robotic hand equipped with touch sensors but without visual perception. The objective was to reorient the pen to the correct position. The teacher solely accessed real-time orientation data, while the student relied on touch sensors to determine the pen’s orientation.
Rishabh Agarwal, Director of a private research laboratory in the US and an assistant professor in the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory underscores that the ability to reorient objects is just one example of the various manipulation tasks that a future household robot would be required to accomplish. “This research introduces a compelling method, leveraging previous computational efforts in reinforcement learning.”
“I am very optimist about future possibilities of applying this work to ease our life with tactile sensing,” Abhishek Gupta, an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, concluded.
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According to Masagos Zulkifli, Second Minister for Health at the recently concluded 8th Advance Care Planning International Conference, person-centred care includes prioritising the patient’s choices and involving the patient and their family in care decisions. As a result, advance care planning (ACP) allows individuals to communicate their enhanced healthcare preferences.
ACP has been adopted in Singapore under the Advance Medical Directive Act and the Mental Capacity Act. Over 35,000 Singaporeans have completed their plans under the “Living Matters” programme, which promotes ACP.
In the future, the Ministry of Health hopes to raise awareness and acceptance of ACP, which has earned global prominence for aligning care with individual beliefs.
Minister Masagos noted that three issues must be overcome to promote the wider adoption of ACP. To begin, Singapore’s traditional society requires a mindset shift to normalise dialogues about death and dying, particularly among the elderly.
Second, additional facilitators, particularly trustworthy doctors, should be included to effectively engage the community. Finally, the present ACP facilitation approach requires an improved structure that can accommodate a larger group without losing quality.
In addition, technology should be used to reach out to digitally literate populations and increase scalability. Overcoming these obstacles will allow ACP to gain wider support and implementation in Singapore.
The Ministry of Health hopes to improve accessibility and ease in the ACP process as Singapore embraces technology. Individuals can now complete their ACP autonomously, without the necessity for in-depth talks with facilitators, thanks to the use of digital technologies, especially for those who are generally healthy.
This transition to digital solutions tackles the scalability and resource intensity issues that have plagued traditional ACP facilitation. It also serves a growing generation of digitally literate consumers who want more control over their healthcare decisions.
The ACP community must work with the healthcare system’s continuing improvements, particularly the Healthier SG project, which emphasises preventive care. Key shifts are required to enhance ACP knowledge and implementation.
Also, a societal mindset shift is required, which includes outreach, providing ACP outside of clinical settings, and establishing a statewide Pre-Planning Campaign. Roadshows, workshops, and a digital campaign on the My Legacy site will be part of this effort.
Individuals can use this gateway to get extensive information about ACP, start conversations, and make informed decisions about their life preferences. These programmes not only empower individuals but also promote early planning, ensuring that their values and priorities fit with their care goals.
Individuals and their families will benefit from these efforts, which aim to stimulate talks and early planning for end-of-life care. It is critical to begin these discussions and make the appropriate arrangements, including as purchasing insurance and establishing a durable power of attorney and wills.
Two critical shifts must occur for ACP to be widely adopted. First, healthcare personnel should be encouraged to incorporate ACP dialogues into routine treatment, giving them the knowledge and ability to discuss end-of-life planning with their patients.
This involves starting early dialogues with people who have significant illnesses about how to connect their care plans with their values. Second, to improve the ease, the ACP procedure should be digitalised.
While third-party facilitators are still required in some circumstances, digitally savvy persons who are relatively healthy can self-facilitate the broad ACP without in-depth conversations. Citizens can empower themselves to finish the ACP process independently by leveraging technology and digital platforms.