The earlier exploration of AI’s capabilities in fostering social good has already revealed that it’s not just a technological advance; it’s a powerful tool for tackling global challenges. Continuing this exploration into how AI helps achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this article focuses on reducing poverty and enhancing quality education.
No Poverty
AI holds the promise of significantly reducing poverty by enhancing labor market inclusion, providing access to knowledge for rural communities, and extending crucial financial services to economically disadvantaged individuals. It can serve as a pathway out of poverty and here’s a glimpse of its impact:
Work
Karya NGO, featured in our previous exploration, showcases the profound impact of AI in boosting economic opportunities for rural Indians. Beyond providing dignified digital work, Karya ensures fair wages, a minimum of USD 5/hour, surpassing the Indian minimum wage by over 20 times. Functioning as a data cooperative, Karya empowers workers by making them co-owners of datasets, earning royalties with each data sale. With a focus on social mobility, Karya has already enabled over 30,000 workers to complete 30 million digital tasks. Furthermore, the project goes beyond economic empowerment; it actively contributes to making AI more inclusive by incorporating rare languages. Karya facilitates language preservation by processing data in various rare Indian languages, thereby fostering both linguistic diversity and economic inclusion
Knowledge
The aforementioned Karya NGO also actively contributes to uplifting the education and skills of marginalized communities. By training AI models to address healthcare queries in Kannada dialects, Karya plays a crucial role in making reliable information accessible to speakers of rare languages. Moreover, Villagers, while earning income, are also developing new skills, paving the way for further self-development.
Digital Green also showcases how AI helps smallholder farmers to lift themselves from poverty. The solutions offered by the organization include the production and dissemination of locally relevant videos, facilitating knowledge-sharing among millions of farmers. In partnership with Governments of India and Ethiopia, FAO, Microsoft, Apurva.ai and GenAI startup Gooey.AI, Digital Green released Famer.CHAT — a locally responsive farmer advisory service designed to facilitate real-time communication between governments and farmers on the frontlines of climate change and water security issues. Using a simple WhatsApp conversational bot, Farmer.CHAT enables government extension agents and farmers to communicate in their native languages. This interaction provides farmers with clear answers and links to relevant Digital Green videos, fostering knowledge about climate-smart practices. This, in turn, contributes to increased incomes and enhanced resilience to climate change.
Financial Solutions
From mobile banking to advanced credit scoring, AI plays a vital role in filling financial gaps for those with limited access to traditional banking.
Promoting financial inclusion CloQ offers credits to low-income entrepreneurs. Recognizing the challenges faced by low-income populations with limited financial data for traditional credit evaluation, CloQ focuses on behavior and reliability. By providing nano-loans starting from USD 25 at lower interest rates, CloQ aims to integrate the often-overlooked population into the formal credit system, serving as a crucial alternative to loan sharks.
Another standout example here is OKO Finance, a startup utilizing AI to transform the lives of farmers. OKO provides efficient crop insurance, weather alerts, farming advice, and access to affordable micro-credit. The platform also simplifies claim management, addressing income distribution challenges for those who feed the world.
Quality Education
AI’s impact on education is vast. From personalized learning experiences to grading assistance, the list of AI-powered educational applications continues to expand daily, paving the way for a more effective learning environment.
Teacher’s Assistant
AI can serve as an assistant to teachers, offering support in various tasks. Here, for instance, educators can harness the potential of ChatGPT to streamline their work, from creating lesson plans to developing curriculum content. Recently, ChatGPT released a guide specifically tailored for teachers, providing insights into its functionality, limitations, the effectiveness of AI detectors, and considerations related to bias.
Materials Generator
AI plays a key role in boosting creativity and efficiency, especially in education. Take Wonderslide, a presentation design tool powered by AI. It quickly identifies the perfect design for draft presentations, ready for download in seconds. With a one-click option Wonderslide simplifies the whole design process, eliminating the need for complex settings. The AI designer seamlessly works with PowerPoint and Google Slides files, arranging and aligning elements to provide an editable file for convenient use.
Canva, as we mentioned in our news digest, also introduced Classroom Magic, featuring a set of AI-powered tools to elevate teaching materials and enhance student engagement. With features like Magic Grab, Magic Animate, and Magic Expand, educators can seamlessly create compelling lessons, presentations, and activities for various subjects and grade levels. The platform also provides time-saving functionalities like Magic Write and Magic Switch, simplifying the process of lesson preparation.
Yippity is one more remarkable tool transforming the creation of educational materials. Using AI, Yippity serves as a go-to platform for generating questions, allowing teachers to convert any text into quizzes. The platform also supports multimedia elements and interactive features, enabling educators to craft engaging learning materials and contributing to the overall quality of teaching.
Grading Assistant
Gradescope as an AI-powered grading assistant simplifies the assessment process for educators, whether for online or in-class assignments. It seamlessly handles variable-length assignments like problem sets and projects, as well as fixed-template assignments such as worksheets and quizzes. With the ability to grade paper-based, digital, and code assignments in half the time, Gradescope not only saves educators time but also provides anti-cheating measures. Its features also include delivering detailed feedback, easy grade exports, and insightful analytics at both question and rubric levels.
Learning Assistant
Powered by Google AI, Socratic assists students with homework problem-solving, ensuring that no student is left behind. Based on text and speech recognition, the app delivers visual explanations and relevant learning resources. With features like photo-based question input and step-by-step equation help, Socratic showcases a commitment to enhancing the overall learning experience through AI.
Another prominent AI-powered homework help platform Brainly boasts 15 million daily active users. This peer-to-peer system connects students, parents, and teachers, facilitating collaborative learning. Users actively contribute answers, earning points and creating a vibrant and engaging community. Leveraging machine learning algorithms for content moderation, Brainly maintains a high-quality Knowledge Base. With features like personalized homework assistance, Brainly also exemplifies the significant impact of technology on education, providing valuable support for learners.
Tutoring
Driven by AI and behavior-based learning, Thinkster offers personalized math tutoring programs designed to instill confidence and a love for learning. Whether students choose guided sessions with personal tutors or a self-directed approach, the program’s brief 15-minute daily sessions include math games tailored to individual needs. Thinkster is dedicated to transforming habits, nurturing curiosity, grit, and daily learning routines, particularly crucial at early ages. With a curriculum featuring over 35 courses from Brilliant.org, the program covers critical thinking, logic, and math, providing a comprehensive educational experience.
All of these examples showcase how AI helps in shaping a more inclusive and well-educated world. And as we’ve explored AI’s influential role in addressing global challenges, specifically in the realms of poverty reduction and quality education, we’ve decided to map out this emerging frontier. We encourage you to keep the suggestions coming! Are there other companies or initiatives that we should include? Share your thought and mention us on social networks.
