AI has proven to have an enormous potential. There seems to be no limit to the applications of this technology, across projects, companies, and industries. The possibilities are so large, that people have already thought of implementing it in as a tool for growth and development in 3rd world countries.
The potential for impact is huge, as AI technologies can help mitigate the global inequality that is fomented by technological innovations in the developed countries (Kohli, 2018). What this means is that the digital and technological transformation that is happening in developed countries is making the gap of world inequality only larger. AI might be a solution to bring a large and positive impact in developing countries (Maskey, 2018). Some of the benefits sought by experts and humanitarians to improve livelihood in local communities are (Maskey, 2018; Kohli, 2018; BBC News, 2019):
- Use predictive models for disaster relief
For example, after the 2015 Nepal earthquake, AI and Machine Learning technologies were used to estimate the most efficient ways of accessing hardly reachable areas and coordinate reconstruction efforts (Maskey, 2018; Kohli, 2018). Through accumulated data, the systems facilitated the reconstruction of the most affected areas.
- Smart agriculture for improved production
AI has a large potential to impact agriculture positively. These benefits could also be implemented in developing countries through, for example, the use of shared farming, which allows poor farmers to make collective use of the expensive infrastructure required for smart AI-based agriculture to be implemented (Maskey, 2018).
- AI and drones for improved Health care & overcome lack of infrastructure
Humanitarian agencies are already implementing the use of AI and drones to optimize the delivery of food and medical supplies. An example is Rwanda, were doctors in distant areas have now an easier access to blood for urgent operations (Kohli, 2018).
These positive impacts can lead to an underlying improvement of the livelihood and economy of local areas, but some experts remain skeptical of the positive effects. For example, Kai-Fu Lee (2018) and professor Ian Goldin argue about the displacement of millions of jobs due to AI, which will have a strong blow in developing countries’ growth efforts. They argue that AI has remarkable potential, but that the implementation must be carefully planned and overseen, and that the future of the technology must be considered, to reduce the highly probable negative effects.
Sources:
BBC News. (2019). Will AI kill developing world growth?. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47852589 [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019].
ITU. (2019). AI For Good Global Summit. [online] Available at: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/AI/Pages/default.aspx [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019].
Kohli, T. (2018). The Promise of AI in the Developing World. [online] AzerNews.az. Available at: https://www.azernews.az/analysis/140133.html [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019].
Lee, K. (2018). Bloomberg – Are you a robot?. [online] Bloomberg.com. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-09-17/artificial-intelligence-threatens-jobs-in-developing-world [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019].
Maskey, S. (2018). AI For Humanity: Using AI To Make A Positive Impact In Developing Countries. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/08/23/ai-for-humanity-using-ai-to-make-a-positive-impact-in-developing-countries-2/#3c2539b51b08 [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019]
I think this is a very valuable insight into what AI can potentially do in the future, especially in developing countries. As much as the whole concept is hyped, there is a lot of room for major improvements. Currently everyone believes its the future, but whether that will actually be is yet to be proven. Regardless, there is great potential and especially in the area of agriculture it can become an interesting player, but what you state is not very new. Already two years ago, in 2017, John Deer acquired an AI start-up from Silicon Valley (founded by two guys who lived in the countryside and had some affinity with coding and programming) for over $300 million. The start-ups uses AI to identify and spray herbicide on weeds. Yes, this is in the US and has been acquired by a big player in the US, so it will not only be interesting to see how this evolves in a country as such, but how this can be implemented in developing countries, for sure!
Curious to hear what your view is on this!
Dear Paula, your article gives some nice food for thought! I definitely agree that AI gives rise to various opportunities for 3rd world countries. Not only AI but also other technologies can be leverages in the fight against inequality. In Nigeria, IoT devices are used by local farmers that measure the soil conditions and through an application can tell the farmers what, when and how to plant and sell their crops. The startup doing this is called Zenvus. Might be worth-while to check out: https://www.zenvus.com/insights/