Artificial intelligence (AI) is a complex, fast-changing, variable technology. Organisations around the world are scrambling to leverage the emerging possibilities of AI and understand its potential harm. Amid this changing landscape, international development organisations are searching for ways in which AI technologies can play a part in addressing the fast-approaching deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve lives.

We’ve seen a steady proliferation of use cases, inter-organisational committees, and research bodies, all exploring practical ways that AI solutions can add genuine value to people’s lives. We’ve adapted to the changing capability of AI and collaborated with our partners to develop practical solutions and approaches which can be used to get the most out of the technology. We’ve used those lessons, together with expert interviews and case studies, to build a learning module that answers some key questions:

What are the different types of AI, and where might they add the most value?

How do you develop an AI model, what are the barriers to developing these solutions, and how do practitioners address them?  

What are the unique ethical issues which arise with applying AI in international development, and what can we do about them?