Artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in recent years, revolutionizing many industries. However, it has yet to fully penetrate the humanitarian sector. With its ability to process incredible amounts of data, AI can aid humanitarian efforts in many ways. Although it is still in the early stages of development in this industry, AI has already shown its potential to improve the effectiveness of global humanitarian aid.
One significant way AI can affect humanitarian aid is by identifying where aid is needed most effectively. Organizations can utilize AI algorithms to gather and analyze data from various sources such as social media, news articles, and satellite images. This information can identify areas that need immediate intervention due to conflict or natural disasters. This approach has already been employed by the United Nations (UN), with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) launching a platform called “Centre for Humanitarian Data” in 2017. The platform aggregates diverse data sets from UN agencies and partners worldwide, allowing humanitarian actors to analyze the information and create prompt and effective responses.
Another way AI can be used in humanitarian aid is by analyzing data to anticipate and respond to crises. In many instances, humanitarian organizations respond to disasters reactively, waiting to assess the damage and determine the necessary aid. However, AI can change this approach by analyzing data from various sensors and data logs and anticipating the likelihood and extent of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, or hurricanes. Several organizations are using AI to develop predictive models that can help anticipate crises. For example, in Africa, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data is using historical data patterns to predict food security and optimize aid regulations.
AI offers another form of aid through the assistance of complex decision-making processes. Humanitarian actors have to make swift decisions under the harsh scrutiny of limited time and resources when they are brought into disaster scenarios. AI has the potential to help improve the decision-making process by providing real-time advice to humanitarian organizations based on previously collected data and determining the most advantageous course of action. For example, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is working alongside the Qatar Red Crescent to develop AI for humanitarian assistance. The project focuses on AI-based decision-making to predict the most suitable setup for the facilities, develop shelter partitions, assemble solar panels, and insulation to prevent the risk of hypothermia in the refugee camps.
One of the most exciting possibilities AI can provide to the humanitarian sector is through its potential to introduce a new level of empathy and understanding of beneficiaries. Chatbots have already demonstrated effective communication and problem-solving skills, making it possible for organizations to use these to console people affected by disasters or refugees looking for help. These AI-powered chatbots can be utilized for bringing people together during humanity-disrupting events, creating a connection between those who need help and those who have fundamental assistance to offer.
The usefulness of AI in humanitarian aid, however, hasn’t come without its challenges. Data privacy, ethics, and accountability are just a few stumbling blocks that humanitarian actors need to be mindful of while developing AI-powered services. The ethicality of using the data of people affected by disasters, including data tracking their movements, needs to be addressed. Also, there must be the standard of accountability and transparency in the use of AI to avoid using the technology to exclude the vulnerable and amplify intersecting inequalities.
In conclusion, humanitarian aid is a long-established industry committed to providing support to individuals and communities in crisis, be it due to conflict or environmental factors. Given the versatility of AI, we are presented with the opportunity to improve the effectiveness of the sector’s services substantially. AI algorithms can help organizations in identifying and responding to crises, applying predictive models and smart decision-making processes, and providing personalized solutions to affected persons, thus increasing global aid outcomes. However, as we move forward with AI integration in the humanitarian sector, we need to focus on ethics, accountability, and equity. Only then will we be able to help those affected by crises in the most efficient and ethical way possible.