Expert Q&A
Learn from expert perspectives on how best to leverage data and AI for impact. What would you like to ask an expert? Suggest a question below.
Through our work with the Community of Practice on Artificial Intelligence (COPAI), we’ve learned that in low-resource contexts, mechanisms for meaningful engagement – such as mentorship, access to national hardware, and an active voice in policy discussions with experts – can become powerful in-kind incentives for inclusive upskilling. As part…
At Ashoka University, we believe that human-centric AI begins with cultivating interdisciplinary empathy and purpose. Our flagship program, Data Science for Social Impact, offered by CDSA (Centre for Data Science and Analytics), equips mid-career professionals with the skills to tackle real-world challenges in climate and health using data responsibly. The…
Answered by:
Partha Pratim Das, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Computer Science and Director, Center for Data Science and Analytics
Ashoka University
At Dasra, our commitment to advancing equity has fundamentally shaped how we approach the integration of data and AI within collaborative systems. Responsible innovation is not just about the technology—it begins with who’s at the design table. Recognizing the larger algorithmic biases, data sets that underrepresent the most vulnerable communities,…
If I had all the money in the world, my investment priorities would be locally relevant data and compute resources. Building impactful AI in Africa starts with high-quality, ground truth data. Collecting this data—especially from communities—is costly and time-consuming, but essential for developing contextually relevant models. And once you have…
The key is in how organizations leverage AI. All of us see the transformative potential of AI, but fewer consider its boundaries. While AI can be powerful, it can’t replace the unique skills, judgment, and human connection that people bring to their work––it’s a tool for those people to be…
Answered by:
Iqbal Dhaliwal
Global Executive Director
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
As nonprofit organizations gather more data, securing it is paramount, even with limited resources. Here are three effective measures: To get free cybersecurity assistance and to ensure your data is well protected, check out the CyberPeace Builders program. For further guidance on affordable security practices, explore resources like the Global…
At Probable Futures, we make climate science accessible and useful. Our easy-to-use climate risk tools were intentionally designed to support incorporation of climate data into daily tasks and decision-making. For example, Kontur, a geospatial mapping organization working on disaster response, wanted to strengthen their publicly available Disaster Ninja tool with…
What sets today’s young people apart compared to their previous generations? There are three key things that a young person has at their disposal more than any previous generation: Access – the ability to consume and acquire information through the internet Agility – to adapt to technological disruptions Ability –…
Answered by:
Preyansi Mani
Education and Youth Advisor
German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)
The scarcity of evidence between climate change and important health outcomes hampers countries’ ability to advocate for crucial climate adaptation and mitigation policies, perpetuating a vicious cycle. Through the India Climate and Health Data Capacity Accelerator, we are focused on pursuing fellowship opportunities with social impact organizations that exist at…
I firmly believe that respecting cultural norms and principles is essential in developing effective data collection methods for organizations. Cultural sensitivity is key to success. At Solar Sister, we prioritize this by ensuring that our field teams are local to the communities they serve, speak the language, and are deeply…
As someone who teaches courses on technology, I can tell you that even the best universities have struggled to teach data science at all levels.
In our experience, communities already know what the data is going to reveal. They understand the risks and opportunities of most issues related to their built and natural environment; however, many communities don’t have data to defend their claims or data models to describe trends they may be observing. Data…
The emerging “data winter” signifies an alarming trend where access to vital data for research, policy-making, and innovation faces severe constraints, reminiscent of the AI winters that historically slowed progress in artificial intelligence. To counteract this, Social Impact Organizations (SIOs) and other stakeholders must proactively ensure data’s availability and utility…
It’s essential we shift the conversation from too much hype or fear to actually working through the operationalization of people-centered approaches to data and AI, including the design principles of deep learning and strategies for managing rapid change in an ever-changing technological landscape. We must also find a way to balance…
In my experience, the most important way to balance the desire to innovate with being responsible is to have a safe space in which to experiment. Organizations are often interested in potentially using new technologies but are afraid of causing harm or distracting their staff in the process. The good…
Most SIOs face the same challenge plaguing the larger data ecosystem: they’ve managed to amass a lot of data but cannot extract valuable insights from it in a timely manner to drive their decision-making. Navigating this challenge requires a shift in strategy from mere data collection to prioritizing engagement with…
Gender and climate data is essential for understanding how climate risks and vulnerabilities affect women and LGBTIQ+ people differently. To monitor SDG 5, 52 percent of the data needed is missing. How can we measure true progress without the numbers? Exploring this landscape and providing potential strategies for improving data…
I would suggest that teams make sure they are collecting data that is going to help them solve an important strategic question. There is no shortage of interesting questions to ask. With limited resources, we must use our data, time, and energy that will provide us the ability to better…
