[FAQs] De-Risking AI for Humanitarian Response

Thank you to those who joined us at the InterAction Forum 2024! We appreciate your interest in our work and the insightful questions raised during the Q&A.

Whether you attended the session or are new to the topic and our work, we have compiled this FAQ document to address common inquiries about using artificial intelligence (AI) in humanitarian settings. We cover key considerations for mitigating risks, ensuring ethical development, and maximizing the positive impact of AI tools.

Q1: What is Signpost AI and how does it enhance humanitarian response efforts?

A1: Signpost AI is an initiative by IRC’s Signpost, striving to use artificial intelligence to enhance humanitarian efforts. Our goal is to create a scalable and adaptable AI solution that can be deployed effectively in various crisis situations worldwide. We aim to create a digital global public good that empowers communities in crisis with real-time, multilingual information delivered through an AI chatbot. The AI helps streamline operations, reach more people in need, and deliver more effective aid. Our approach combines the efficiency of AI with the empathy of human oversight for more accurate and compassionate support for those in need.

Q2: How can we ensure AI is used ethically and responsibly in humanitarian contexts?

A2: Ethical AI development involves prioritizing transparency, accountability, and human-centered design. This includes implementing safeguards like "red teaming" for vulnerability testing, human oversight to review AI decisions, and ongoing performance monitoring to ensure continuous improvement.

Q3: How can AI be made accessible to vulnerable populations, including those with limited technological literacy?

A3: Making AI accessible involves designing user-friendly interfaces with clear instructions and simple language. Additionally, exploring alternative interaction modes like voice commands or text-to-speech can accommodate users with diverse needs and abilities.

Q4: How can AI be adapted to different cultural contexts and languages?

A4: Adapting AI to local contexts requires incorporating local languages, cultural norms, and region-specific data. Collaboration with local communities and organizations is crucial to ensure the AI is relevant and effective for users in different areas.

Q5: How can we measure the effectiveness and impact of AI in humanitarian settings?

A5: Measuring AI's impact involves establishing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework. This can include tracking metrics like response accuracy, successful referrals to services, and gathering qualitative feedback to understand user experiences and the AI's impact on the ground.

Q6: What are the challenges of using AI in humanitarian response, and how can they be addressed?

A6: Challenges include ensuring data privacy and security, addressing biases in AI algorithms, and ensuring the AI is accessible to diverse populations. These challenges can be addressed through robust data protection protocols, ongoing bias testing and mitigation, and designing inclusive user interfaces.

Q6: How do organizations ensure data privacy and security when using AI in humanitarian work?

A6: Data privacy and security are paramount. Organizations implement robust measures like encryption, secure data storage, and compliance with international data protection regulations to safeguard sensitive information.

Q7: What are the future possibilities of AI in humanitarian response?

A7: The future of AI in humanitarian response is promising. We can expect advancements in areas like language support, voice interaction, and integration with diverse data sources, leading to more sophisticated and effective AI solutions.

Q8: How is ethical AI development ensured in humanitarian contexts?

A8: Ethical AI development in humanitarian contexts prioritizes transparency, accountability, and human-centered design. Strategies often include proactive vulnerability testing, human oversight to review AI decisions, ongoing performance monitoring, careful prompt engineering, and using verified content for reliable responses. Five key strategies are:

• Red Teaming: Proactive vulnerability testing.

• Human Evaluation: Moderator oversight to review AI decisions.

• Continuous Quality Assurance: Ongoing performance monitoring.

• Prompt Engineering: Crafting precise prompts for accurate AI responses.

• Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Using verified content for reliable information.

Q9: How can AI systems handle large volumes of inquiries during crises?

A9: AI systems can triage inquiries based on urgency and complexity, allowing human moderators to focus on the most sensitive cases. This approach maintains service quality even when demand is high.

Q10: How can AI be tailored to meet the needs of diverse communities?

A10: Adapting AI to local contexts involves incorporating local languages, cultural norms, and region-specific data. This ensures the AI is relevant and effective for users in different areas.

Q11: What feedback mechanisms are essential for improving AI systems in humanitarian work?

A11: Feedback mechanisms like country team surveys, direct communication channels, and periodic feedback sessions are crucial. This feedback helps continuously improve the AI's performance and responsiveness to user needs.

Q12: How can AI systems support multilingual communication?

A12: Multilingual support in AI systems is achieved through advanced natural language processing (NLP) techniques and translation models. This allows the AI to understand and respond in multiple languages.

Q13: What ethical guidelines should guide AI development in humanitarian work?

A13: Ethical guidelines for AI in humanitarian contexts prioritize fairness, transparency, accountability, and user consent. These principles ensure responsible AI development and deployment.

Q14: How can AI systems handle sensitive information responsibly?

A14: Sensitive information requires careful handling. Strict access controls, data anonymization, and secure storage protocols protect user privacy.

Q15: What role does community feedback play in developing AI for humanitarian use?

A15: Community feedback is invaluable in developing AI for humanitarian purposes. Engaging with local communities provides insights, helps validate AI responses, and ensures the system meets the specific needs of those it serves.

Q16: How can AI systems address the challenge of misinformation?

A16: AI systems can combat misinformation by relying on verified content sources and using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) techniques. Human moderators also play a vital role in reviewing and correcting any inaccurate information.

Q17: What type of training data is used to develop AI for humanitarian purposes?

A17: Diverse training data is essential. This includes data from local communities, NGOs, and other verified sources, ensuring the AI is well-rounded and contextually aware.

Q18: How can AI be applied in disaster response scenarios?

A18: AI can provide real-time information during disasters, such as shelter locations, medical facilities, safety protocols, and resource distribution. This helps individuals navigate crises more effectively.

Q19: What are some potential future developments for AI in the humanitarian sector?

A19: The future of AI in humanitarian work holds great promise. We can anticipate advancements in language support, improved voice interaction capabilities, enhanced AI accuracy, and integration with more local and global data sources.

Q20: How can I get involved or learn more about your work?

A20: We welcome collaboration and partnerships with organizations and individuals interested in leveraging AI for humanitarian good. You can visit our website for more information about our projects, research findings, and opportunities to get involved. You can also contact us directly to discuss potential collaborations or share your expertise.

Contact Information:

For further questions or to get in touch, please contact us at karina.salce@rescue.org or via the Signpost.org contact form.

Thank you for your interest and support in our mission to enhance humanitarian response through innovative AI solutions.