AI helps identify areas in need of emergency aid

In a recent study published in the journal Nature, researchers developed and evaluated an approach that used machine-learning algorithms to analyze mobile phone and satellite data to estimate poverty. They aimed to optimize the'Novissi' flagship emergency social assistance program in Togo, West Africa, providing subsistence cash relief to those most affected by COVID-19. Study: Machine learning and phone data can improve targeting of humanitarian aid. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had devastating consequences in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). The living standards of the most economically vulnerable individuals have further worsened with a transition toward extreme poverty.