Emerging technology for public good

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping economies and societies, presenting both tremendous opportunities and urgent challenges for sustainable development. The Global Partnership helps our partners navigate this transformation by ensuring that the data that powers AI and the tools themselves are designed and deployed in ways that are inclusive, trustworthy, and accountable.

Our leadership in this space builds on years of work at the intersection of data governance and emerging technologies. From using machine learning to predict crop yields in Senegal to building multi-stakeholder coalitions around the UN’s Global Digital Compact, we are charting pathways for responsible uses of AI technology.

Explore some of the highlights from this work below.

Frontier technology for frontline action

Chatbot innovation for inclusive data action

The Municipality of Luján de Cuyo in Argentina, an Inclusive Data Champion, launches Luji, a citizen-facing chatbot helping improve water resource management and increasing access, bringing services to more than 140,000 people.

Finding new ways to better measure poverty

Working together with Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) and Cepei, we hosted a technical workshop and meetings with local experts to improve geographical analysis capacities to measure poverty estimates, with a focus on Earth observations.

AI insights guide recovery in Kenya

Following the desert locust attack, we collaborated with Omdena and Kenya Red Cross to leverage machine learning power and create a damage assessment tool to support evidence-based policymaking for recovery and resilience policymaking.

Shutterstock / two people exchanging information on mobile phones

Data innovation in digital health systems

In an innovative collaboration, we supported Dimagi to test Machine Learning applications within the digital health system to identify HIV/TB patients at risk of defaulting, helping frontline workers prioritize support.

Building the frameworks for responsible AI

Kenya's inclusive approach to AI

Supporting the development of Kenya's national AI strategy, we collaborated with partners to lead stakeholder engagement to surface the needs and priorities of the community.

Tech image in green / Unsplash: Nick Fewings

Cabo Verde harnesses the power of data for AI

As part of the Power of Data Initiative, leaders in Cabo Verde came together to develop a roadmap to a national AI strategy. Through national data partnerships the strategy sets out to harness the power of data for AI, with an eye on inclusive and ethical development.

The AI practitioners' guide

As part of the Fair-Forward: Artificial Intelligence for All project, we collaborated with local and international partners to develop the AI Practitioners' Guide for Kenya. The practical guide helps ensure that AI applications are beneficial to humanity and uphold data protection rights.

Health worker with an ipad / Nappy: Unsplash

Advancing expertise in health data governance

Connecting the Ministries of Health from Kenya and Zanzibar sparked cross-government collaboration and demonstrated the value of mutual learning for better health data governance.

Data sharing cookbook image / The Global Partnership

Recipes for better data sharing

As the buzz around the potential of AI in development bubbled, it was clear that access to high-quality datasets and cross-border data flows would be critical. To help navigate this process, we developed The Cookbook for Effective and Ethical Data Sharing at Scale.

New data for better policies

Machine Learning computer screen with code / Joan Gamell: Unsplash

Machine learning for statistics in Colombia

Embedding Machine Learning into official statistics systems is improving data collection, analysis procedures, and enabling real-time enhancements to their statistical operations for more evidence-based decision-making on agricultural and food systems policy.

Light connections from space / Nasa: Unsplash

Driving data science skills across Africa

From child protection indicators to predictive modelling for forest conservation, our newly launched Data Science Fellowship Program helped public sector officials in Malawi, Senegal, Ghana, and Ethiopia gain new skills and apply data science tools to support evidence-based decision-making.

Ghana urban area / Unsplash: Virgyl Sowah

Data science bolsters statistics in Ghana

Through providing AI-enabled hardware and software, initial data science training, and ecosystem support, the collaborative Data Science Capacity Strengthening Initiative has helped the Ghana Statistical Service transform their statistical systems and census data management.