AI for Humanitarianism: Fostering Social Change Through Emerging Technologies

A Volume in Chapman & Hall/CRC Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Series.

This book will offer a comprehensive coverage of the intersection between AI and humanitarian work. This book will serve as a one-stop resource for readers interested in this unique and important intersection. The book will bridge the gap between AI practitioners and humanitarian professionals. This book will bring together these two fields and fosters mutual understanding and collaboration by making technical concepts accessible to non-technical readers and highlighting the real-world implications of AI in humanitarian work. This book will address the ethical considerations that come with using AI in humanitarian work, such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the potential for unintended consequences. This book will meet the need for thoughtful discussions on the responsible and ethical use of technology by tackling these important topics. This book will adopt an interdisciplinary approach allowing it to explore the technological, social, political, and ethical dimensions of AI in humanitarian work. This wide-ranging scope of this book will satisfy the need for resources that consider the complexities and nuances of using emerging technologies for social impact.

The research questions guiding this proposed book project include:

1. How are AI technologies currently being used in humanitarian contexts, and what are the most successful applications and outcomes to date?

2. What are the main challenges and obstacles that practitioners face when trying to integrate AI into humanitarian work, and how can they be addressed?

3. How can AI technologies be designed and deployed ethically in humanitarian contexts, particularly when working with vulnerable populations?

4. What role do local communities and beneficiaries play in the development and deployment of AI technologies for humanitarian work, and how can their input and agency be prioritized?

5. What tools, strategies, and best practices can be developed to support the effective and responsible integration of AI into humanitarian efforts?

6. How does the use of AI in humanitarian work relate to broader trends and debates in AI, technology, and social impact, and what can be learned from these intersections?

The proposed tentative content for this book is given below:

1. Relevance of AI in Humanitarian Contexts

2. Potential of AI for Social Impact

   1. Addressing the SDGs with AI

   2. Opportunities in Health, Education, and Poverty Reduction

3. Creating a Sustainable Ecosystem for AI-Driven Humanitarian Efforts

   1. Collaborations between AI Practitioners and Humanitarian Organizations

   2. The Role of Government and International Organizations

   3. Building Partnerships for AI in Humanitarian Efforts

4. Financial and Funding Models

   1. Traditional Funding in Humanitarian Work: An overview and its limitations.

   2. Emerging Financial Models for AI-Humanitarian Initiatives: From impact investing to tech philanthropy.

   3. Public-Private Partnerships: Merging the best of both worlds for social impact.

   4. Crowdfunding and Grassroots Funding: Mobilizing the masses for tech-driven social change.

   5. Economic and Social ROI: Measuring the returns on AI-humanitarian investments.

5. Open-source Tools and Collaborative Development

   1. The Power of Open-Source: Why collaborative development accelerates impact.

   2. Leading Open-Source Platforms for Humanitarian AI

   3. Building and Sustaining a Collaborative AI Community

6. Infrastructure and Implementation in Resource-Limited Settings

   1. Technologies for Off-Grid AI

   2. Edge Computing

   3. Solar-Powered Data Centers

   4. Low-Power AI Chips

   5. Connectivity Solutions

   6. Distributed Data Centers

   7. Hybrid Cloud Solutions

   8. Training and Capacity Building

   9. Local Tech Hubs and Innovation Centers

   10. Resilience and Maintenance

7. Challenges of Using AI in Humanitarian Work

   1. Algorithmic Bias and Fairness Concerns

   2. Data Privacy and Security Issues

   3. Scalability and Generalization Challenges

8. Case Studies:

   1. Real-world Case Studies of Successful AI Applications

   2. Lessons to be Learned from Failed Implementations

   3. AI Applications in Disease Prediction

   4. Improving Health Monitoring and Response

   5. Addressing Health Disparities with AI

   6. Tackling Educational Inequalities with AI

9. AI for Poverty Reduction and Economic Growth

   1. Identifying Areas of Extreme Poverty with AI

   2. Optimizing Resource Allocation for Aid Programs

   3. Developing Solutions to Address Root Causes of Poverty

10. AI for Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability

    1. AI Applications for Climate Modeling

    2. Predicting and Addressing Extreme Weather Events

    3. Optimizing Resource Use and Environmental Protection

11. Ethical Considerations in AI for Humanitarian Context

    1. Ethical Principles for AI in Humanitarian Work

    2. Avoiding Harm and Ensuring Transparency

    3. Ethical Challenges and Potential Solutions

12. Future Trends and Considerations

    1. Evolving Trends in AI and Humanitarian Work

    2. Preparing for Challenges and Leveraging Opportunities

    3. Nurturing a Culture of Innovation and Responsibility

13. Conclusion and Call to Action