Proposals are welcome for the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Information, which will be held at the Faculty of Arts, University of Porto (Portugal) on December 5, 6 and 7, 2017. The official language is English. Graduate students, junior researchers and senior scholars are welcome to submit their work. Abstract submission: We invite submission for a 30 minute presentation (followed by 10 minute discussion). An extended abstract of approximately 250-500 words should be prepared for blind review and include a cover page with full name, institution, contact information and short bio.

This position paper describes how the nascent area of AI for development can learn from the challenges and successes of its parents: artificial intelligence and information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D). AI suffered from overly ambitious beginnings and years of stumbling before finding its footing, and achieving impactful ICT4D has been an equally challenging endeavor. We describe the history and challenges of both AI and ICT4D research, and present three broad suggestions for AI-for-development researchers: (1) that they spend as much time as possible with the kind of site or the organization they are hoping to impact; (2) that they be ambitious but humble in their goals and expectations; and (3) that they put AI in the service of existing, well-intented, competent development organizations.