Episodes

  • Assessing Evidence on AI Use Cases and their Impact on Humanitarian Action

    Assessing Evidence on AI Use Cases and their Impact on Humanitarian Action
    Jan 28 2025
    The UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH), Elrha, and Humanitarian AI Today have brought together a panel to critically assess evidence from real-world AI use cases and their impact on humanitarian action, while exploring approaches to learning and evidence-building. In this episode, Zineb Bhaby, AI Lead at the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Zita Lengyel-Wang, Matching Manager at Tech to the Rescue, and Thomas Byrnes, Humanitarian and Social Protection Consultant, join Maria Kett, Professor of Humanitarianism and Social Inclusion, and Tigmanshu Bhatnagar, Lecturer in Global Disability Innovation, from University College London. Hosted by Brent Phillips, Producer of the Humanitarian AI Today podcast. As we delve into Zineb, Zita, and Thomas’ perspectives on AI applications in humanitarian contexts, they highlight challenges faced when implementing and testing these tools, and their insights shed light on the complexities of gathering evidence to assess AI’s impact on humanitarian action. Maria and Tigmanshu then summarize recent key research findings, providing our listeners with a deeper understanding of the broader implications of their work, supported by UKHIH and Elrha. To close, the panelists share key takeaways on evaluating evidence from AI use cases, discussing lessons learned and offering actionable recommendations for improving evidence-building and enhancing the rollout of AI applications in the humanitarian sector. For more information on this episode and the rest of UKHIH and Elrha’s six-part panel discussion series, subscribe to their new AI newsletter here: http://ukhih.org/newsletter.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Abdallah El Ali and Ahmad Tafti on Human Machine Interaction and AI Transparency

    Abdallah El Ali and Ahmad Tafti on Human Machine Interaction and AI Transparency
    Jan 18 2025
    Abdallah El Ali, a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) researcher with a background in cognitive science discusses trustworthy AI, explainability and transparency with Ahmad Tafti from the University of Pittsburgh and Humanitarian AI Today’s Producer, Brent Phillips. Dr. Abdallah El Ali, a Research Scientist at the Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands (Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica) who is also an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University and Dr. Ahmad Tafti, Director of the Pitt HexAI Research Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh and Interim Director of Scientific Affairs with Pitt’s Computational Pathology and AI Center of Excellence (CPACE) and head of AI at Youki GmbH provide insight to individuals interested in humanitarian applications of artificial intelligence on human-computer interaction, information transparency and challenges associated with human cognition, attention, learning and information overload. The discussion touches on emerging transparency regulations governing uses of AI systems, the impact of AI generated content on our lives and how humans process transparency information on uses of AI and data, AI generated content and on the functioning of AI algorithms. The discussion is especially valuable for humanitarian actors considering information disclosure strategies on uses and risks associated with AI. The episode builds on discussions on AI transparency launched by the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH) and Elrha, and combines insight gained from research into health AI applications and explainability.
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    38 mins
  • Affected Populations in Discussion: Vulnerable Populations and the Rollout of AI Applications

    Affected Populations in Discussion: Vulnerable Populations and the Rollout of AI Applications
    Dec 17 2024
    In this episode, the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH), Elrha, and Humanitarian AI Today bring panelists together to critically examine the colonial approach in the rollout of AI applications, including the extraction of data from vulnerable groups without adequate representation or input. Shaza Alrihawi, Researcher, Human Rights Advocate, and Consultant specializing in working with refugees at the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories; Shruti Viswanathan, an Independent Consultant, Data Governance and Digital Inclusion; Olubayo Adekanmbi, CEO and Co-founder of EqualyzAI and CEO and Founder of Data Science Nigeria; and Helen McElhinney, Executive Director with the CDAC Network, join Brent Phillips, Producer of the Humanitarian AI Today podcast, to discuss the rollout of AI applications, the extraction of data from vulnerable groups without adequate representation or input, key challenges in engaging affected populations and communities on the topic of AI and how we can roll out AI technologies in humanitarian work in an ethical and impactful manner. This episode is part of a six-part panel discussion series produced by Humanitarian AI Today in collaboration with the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub and Elrha, with funding from UK International Development from the UK Government. More information about this episode and details about the rest of the series can be found by subscribing to the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub and Elrha's new AI newsletter: http://ukhih.org/newsletter.
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Transparency in Discussion: Improving Transparency and Accountability in AI Implementations

    Transparency in Discussion: Improving Transparency and Accountability in AI Implementations
    Nov 24 2024
    The UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH), Elrha, and Humanitarian AI Today bring panelists together to discuss transparency and strategies for improving transparency and accountability in AI implementations. Michael Hind, Distinguished Research Staff Member at IBM Research; Shadrock Roberts, Director of Global Data Protection & Privacy at Mercy Corps; Scott Turnbull, Chief Technology Officer at Data Friendly Space; Liam Nicoll, Signpost Product Lead at Signpost AI Lab; and Sarah Spencer, a consultant who regularly speaks on humanitarian operations and applications of artificial intelligence, contribute their insights on transparency and ways of improving transparency and accountability in AI implementations. Touching on the existing landscape of AI initiatives within the humanitarian sector, key players, and what transparency means broadly and in practice, their views connect the humanitarian and technology communities and provide valuable insight into why transparency is crucial for building trust in AI systems and engaging stakeholders in developing and leveraging uses of AI for good. The panel discussion, guest hosted by Brent Phillips from Humanitarian AI Today, mixes input on AI systems, technical information disclosure, AI governance and regulation, and how humanitarian organizations are approaching developing, testing and deploying safe, responsible and trustworthy AI applications that are transparent and accountable to end users. Panelists each share their views on ways of improving transparency and offer ideas on directions to expand the transparency conversation. In closing, panelists provide a strong case for greater information sharing on AI use cases and greater inclusivity around transparency throughout the AI building and deployment process. This episode is part of a six-part panel discussion series sponsored and produced by Humanitarian AI Today in collaboration with the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH) and Elrha, with funding from UK International Development from the UK government. More information about this episode, its focus and upcoming discussions can be found by subscribing to the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub and Elrha's new AI newsletter: http://ukhih.org/newsletter.
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Sian White, Dan Amias and Daniela Weber Introduce Elrha and UKHIH's new AI Newsletter

    Sian White, Dan Amias and Daniela Weber Introduce Elrha and UKHIH's new AI Newsletter
    Oct 26 2024
    Sian White, Director of the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub; Dan Amias, Senior Innovation Learning Advisor at Elrha; and Daniela Weber, Director of NetHope’s Center for the Digital Nonprofit, discuss the growing importance of AI in the humanitarian sector and introduce Elrha and UKHIH’s new AI newsletter. Joining Brent Phillips of Humanitarian AI Today, they highlight recent AI initiatives by UKHIH, Elrha, and NetHope, emphasizing their collaborative role in advancing humanitarian efforts. They also share insights from their AI learning journeys, key takeaways, and ongoing challenges in harnessing AI for humanitarian impact.
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    37 mins
  • Lindsey Moore from DevelopMetrics on their AI for Development Summit and on Funding for AI Research

    Lindsey Moore from DevelopMetrics on their AI for Development Summit and on Funding for AI Research
    Oct 26 2024
    Lindsey Moore, Founder and CEO of DevelopMetrics, discusses her team’s upcoming AI for Development Summit and provides an update on DevelopMetric’s current work helping humanitarian organizations develop and test AI applications. Lindsey and Humanitarian AI Today podcast producer, Brent Phillips, touch on advancements in AI and the state of humanitarian AI, the importance of humanitarian organizations and technology companies participating in technical working groups, the need for funding for critical humanitarian AI research and development and importantly the need for funding to bridge the digital divide and ensure diverse representation in AI models particularly for underrepresented communities, and touch on AI transparency, Signpost’s new AI Lab, UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub projects and other subjects.
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    29 mins
  • Karin Maasel and Doug Smith from Data Friendly Space on the Evolving Humanitarian AI Landscape

    Karin Maasel and Doug Smith from Data Friendly Space on the Evolving Humanitarian AI Landscape
    Oct 25 2024
    Karin Maasel and Doug Smith from Data Friendly Space update listeners on GANNET, a collaborative, generative AI-powered tool that DFS developed in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to help humanitarian organizations access, extract, and visualize information to boost the timeliness, effectiveness, and accuracy of humanitarian responses and anticipatory action. Over three recording sessions, Karin (DFS CEO) and Doug (DFS Chief of Staff) answer a broad range of questions covering their team’s work and new tools, the evolving humanitarian AI landscape and AI-powered tools being developed by other humanitarian initiatives, trusted data sources and open data sharing frameworks, and the importance of domain specific AI model training, human-centered design and responsible AI development as well as the need for greater cross-sector collaboration.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Vanessa Parli on how Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered AI Evaluates Research Proposals

    Vanessa Parli on how Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered AI Evaluates Research Proposals
    Oct 3 2024
    Vanessa Parli, Director of Research Programs at Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), speaks with Allison Cohen, Senior Applied AI Project Manager at Mila. This episode was recorded for both the Humanitarian AI Today podcast and The World We Are Building podcast, which seek to broaden the conversation around artificial intelligence. Vanessa and Allison discuss how HAI reviews and selects AI research projects to support based on their technical soundness, potential impact, ethical considerations, and alignment with HAI's goals and values. Vanessa emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, which fosters a holistic approach to AI development. She also discusses the role of ethics in AI development and the challenges of bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world applications, highlighting the importance of considering the potential impact of AI on society. This interview was recorded to provide humanitarian organizations, grantmakers and others with insights into how leading AI institutes handle research project cultivation and evaluation.
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    34 mins