The original excitement about the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on developed countries is shifting toward how AI might influence developing nations. The Economist recently ran a cover story extolling the potential of AI to help lower-income countries in sectors such as education, healthcare and agriculture; however, various commentators have expressed concerns that AI could cause a number of harms in the Global South.
At the root of this issue runs a frequent concern with how data is collected, stored and used – and responsibly reused for purposes other than it was initially collected for. Data collected from satellite imagery and sensors can be reused to monitor deforestation, air and water quality, and the impact of climate change. Telco or social media data can be reused for disaster response to track people’s movements, identify areas that need urgent assistance and coordinate relief efforts more effectively.
Responsible reuse of public and private data can also break down silos. Access to mobile phone data has been reused to foster collaboration and innovation, like harmonising access to public transport and ride-sharing initiatives to limit travel time and reduce car use. Open contracting data was used to improve access to HIV and tuberculosis medicine in Moldova, a country that has one of the highest patient rates in Europe. But reuse carries its own risks, especially to user privacy and security.
