unhcr
UN 'should follow EC' in starting to regulate biometrics, artificial intelligence
The United Nations should follow the European Commission in establishing a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence and biometrics to protect people subject to the technologies, build trust in their use and take the pressure off data scientists to constantly justify the ethics, writes Eleonore Fournier-Tombs of McGill University for The Conversation. The European Commission (EC) put forward proposals in April 2021 that seek to harmonize rules on artificial intelligence and create mechanisms which Fournier-Tombs likens to the process for seeking approval for a new drug. Developers of a new high-risk application of AI would have to submit it for regulatory approval. They would also have to provide details on how the models and data are used and how impacts on privacy or discrimination would be addressed. Areas of risk include biometric identification, categorization and evaluation of the eligibility of people for accessing welfare and services, including in emergency response situations.
The United Nations needs to start regulating the 'Wild West' of artificial intelligence
The European Commission recently published a proposal for a regulation on artificial intelligence (AI). This is the first document of its kind to attempt to tame the multi-tentacled beast that is artificial intelligence. "The sun is starting to set on the Wild West days of artificial intelligence," writes Jeremy Kahn. He may have a point. When this regulation comes into effect, it will change the way that we conduct AI research and development.
Using AI to Predict Climate Change and Forced Displacement Omdena
Together with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) 34 collaborators built several AI and machine learning based solutions to predict forced displacement, violent conflicts, and climate change in Somalia. In addition, an exploratory data analysis resulted in powerful insights regarding conflict types, areas, and reasons. The findings will help UNHCR to execute necessary support mechanism for people at need in a faster and more effective way. Millions of people in Somalia are forced to leave their current area of residence or community due to resource shortage and natural disasters like droughts and floods as well as violent conflicts. Our challenge partner, UNHCR, provides assistance and protection for those who are forcibly displaced inside of Somalia.
How AI and 3D printing is set to transform the lives of refugees
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 4.8 million people have fled Syria alone since the outbreak of civil war in 2011. In 2015, Amnesty International reported that the number of refugees worldwide reached nearly 20 million. When including displacements within countries, the number climbs to 60 million. Such numbers may appear to be a crippling crisis for many governments and NGOs - but they may be an opportunity for businesses and startups. Refugees looking for shelter away from areas of conflict often live in appalling conditions, with minimal access to food, water or healthcare.
Daily Review: China's Fourth Industrial Revolution Will Be Powered by AI
AI will become one of the most defining technologies across industries, and the nations that get it "right" are bound to break to the next level of economic and social development. The US and China have been at a race to harness the potential that the application of artificial intelligence holds for the national economic environment and international competitiveness. There are a number of societal and organizational characteristics that China possesses that might put it at an advantage in the development of advanced AI. The first is China's particular brand of socialist market economy gives the government a significant amount of control and involvement in market forces. Not only does this mean Beijing can push for over-the-horizon innovation where market forces would typically fail, but it also has created a unique level of cooperation between Chinese tech companies and the government.
Blippar wants you to stand #WithRefugees with a selfie of your hand
In the midst of a continuing refugee crisis across much of the globe, June 20 marks World Refugee Day, an occasion that seeks to raise awareness for the plight of refugees across the world. And thanks to a partnership between Blippar, the augmented reality and artificial intelligence company, and UN refugee agency UNHCR, that awareness is going digital. Currently, the Blippar app allows people to "blipp," or scan objects they want to learn more about, thereby accessing informational or entertaining content about the world around them. As part of the new campaign, Blippar is asking users to show their support for refugees by blipping their hands. This scan of support translates into an instant signature on the UNHCR #WithRefugees petition, which requests that national governments act with solidarity and shared responsibility when it comes to the migrant crisis.
mSafety: An ABM of Community Information-Sharing to Improve Public Safety
Frydenlund, Erika (Old Dominion University) | Earnest, David C. (Old Dominion University)
Millions of people globally have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to reasons beyond their control such as conflict, political upheaval, and environmental catastrophes. In many cases, these forced migrants seek temporary refuge in camps managed by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Although responsibility for refugees’ well-being within camps belongs mainly to the NGOs and host government, the density of the camp population and lack of resources of service providers leads to a high degree of insecurity. Building off successful models of mHealth, or utilizing mobile technologies to address healthcare needs, this paper explores the possibility of using communication technologies to address personal security issues. Using agent based modeling techniques, this paper examines the ways in which information about incidents of violence are communicated through a closed population. In this way, the authors advocate for the use of mobile phones in an mSecurity context that empowers forced migrants to become active members in reducing incidents of violence within refugee and internally displaced persons camps.