AI for humanitarians: introducing the innovations

We are excited to present the ten artificial intelligence (AI)-driven innovations shortlisted for our AI for Humanitarians: Shaping Future Innovation challenge. This initiative is designed to harness the transformative power of AI to address humanitarian challenges through a problem-focused approach.

Background on AI for Humanitarians

In response to the urgent need to explore and harness the potential of AI in humanitarian action, we launched this initiative to empower innovators through the Humanitarian Innovation Fund (HIF). Our objective is to foster an environment where humanitarian innovators can learn about, experiment with, and eventually implement AI technologies tailored to the unique challenges of their contexts. By emphasizing discovery and education, this challenge supports the learning journey of and ensures innovations are impactful, practical and ethically sound.

A Focus on Problem-Solving

Central to our funding initiative is the Learning Journey, designed to guide each team through an exploratory process to discover, understand, and harness AI’s potential to address humanitarian needs effectively.

Our initiative has gathered a diverse group of teams, each poised to explore innovative applications of AI in addressing critical humanitarian challenges ranging from disaster management to healthcare and community support. These teams were selected for their vision and readiness to investigate how AI technology can be integrated into their projects to make a real difference. This focus ensures that the innovations developed through our programme are directly informed by an explorative and educational journey into the possibilities of AI in humanitarian contexts.

The Ten participants

Epicentre (Global): is seeking to address the challenges of managing outbreaks in humanitarian settings with limited resources and the need for rapid, yet evidence-based action. They propose using AI to automate and enhance data management and analysis to support effective outbreak responses.

Start Network (Central Asia, Bangladesh): is focusing on using AI to anticipate humanitarian disasters, specifically aiming to improve the prediction of flash floods beyond the current pre-monsoon period through AI technologies. This project targets enhancing early warning systems and saving lives by addressing climate change's impact on forecasting accuracy and community preparedness.

CartONG (Global): is investigating the feasibility, ethics, benefits, and challenges of AI-driven solutions for humanitarian purposes, focusing on complaint feedback response mechanisms and specialised chatbots for vulnerable groups. Their project explores using AI for better communication in local languages and more efficient information management among humanitarian professionals.

International Medical Corps UK (SSA, Zimbabwe): is exploring the integration of AI with mobile survey platforms to develop applications that can quickly and accurately assess humanitarian needs. They aim to transform the speed and effective of humanitarian responses by addressing the challenge of time-consuming and resource-intensive data collection and analysis during crises.

Search for Common Ground (West and Central Africa): is providing humanitarians in francophone Africa with easier and timelier access to conflict-sensitive data and analysis for life-saving decisions. They see AI as a means for listening to communities at scale, summarizing and analyzing complex data, and equipping proximate decision-makers to better adapt assistance to conflict-affected communities.

The International Foundation for Recovery and Development (IFRAD) (Sub-saharan Africa (SSA), Uganda): is optimising the aid supply chain in Karamoja using AI. The project aims to develop an ethical AI framework leveraging community-driven needs assessments to improve efficiency and transparency in aid delivery, ensuring sustainable impact and capacity building within the local community.

Syria Bright Future (Middle East): is integrating AI into mental health and psychosocial support services in Northwest Syria. The project aims to enhance these services by exploring the potential impacts, benefits, and risks of AI, focusing on ethical and practical considerations in a conflict-affected area.

SOCODEVI (SSA, Burkina Faso): is enhancing climate resilience and food security in conflict-affected areas of Burkina Faso by leveraging AI for data analysis. The project aims to empower women, youth, and communities with geolocation security and climate insights, guiding sustainable development and crisis management.

Bronze Light Tech (SSA, Kenya): is using computer vision and AI models to rapidly identify bacteria and harmful particles in water. The project aims to provide an early warning system for waterborne diseases through advanced microscopic analysis and recognition techniques.

Oxfam (SSA, South Africa): is focusing on ensuring AI in humanitarian aid accurately reflects affected communities' voices, advocating for the principle of "nothing about us without us". The project aims to address the issue of AI developed without input from marginalised groups, which risks perpetuating biases and excluding vital perspectives. The goal is to realign AI decision-making to include diverse voices, especially in aid allocation, by examining AI's limitations, like data biases, and proposing inclusive frameworks.

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