Authors: Isabelle, Malin, Charles and Liene
Picture credit: Mingwei Lim on Unsplash
Although this is not our final post, we would like to bid adieu to our readers. We at HumanitarAI have truly enjoyed diving into the dynamic intersection of datafication, AI, and social media, exploring how these tools are reshaping humanitarian efforts and communication for development.
Technologies are evolving constantly, and datafication, artificial intelligence (AI), and social media have moved into craving their place and claiming their power also in the development and the humanitarian sector. Together with our audience, we have had the pleasure of delving into an in-depth exploration of topics like AI philanthropy work, the dark side of algorithms that target LGBT+ Rights and looking into the exciting and at the same time also exploitative nature of AI and deep fakes.
My biggest takeaway
Charles: AI is transforming societies at an unprecedented pace, with profound socioeconomic consequences. Not only is it important for business executives to care about AI consequences, but it is even more important for communication practitioners as we create narratives, write messages and shape perspectives. To create long-lasting social change, AI must reach the most vulnerable populations and not just the privileged few.
Isabelle: Yes, the new developments in AI can be exciting! However, where are the boundaries? New technologies are causing more harm than good, in my opinion. As a woman, is there really a corner of the internet where I feel safe? After this blog, my answer is no. The up-side is, there are activists and leaders working day and night to fight these cyber-crimes, and perhaps we can join them!
Malin: We need to continue having discussions surrounding AI and its implications in society. This accelerating technology will shape all areas of society and we need to be able to apply them in a way that is sustainable – environmentally, socially, and economically.
Liene: Social media may feel superficial for many. However, if we set aside from posting selfies and avocado toasts, we can see that these resources are used to create global knowledge guidelines, keep and reassure political powers, and target people’s personal lives and freedoms. Its power could not be underestimated – keep your eyes open!
However, much work is left to be done and we hope to keep the conversation about AI, social media and dataficaiton in the development world high up on the ComDev agenda!