Community participation in humanitarian AI

Crisis-affected communities are too often positioned as passive recipients of AI solutions rather than active participants in shaping them. Yet their lived experiences and local knowledge are essential for ensuring AI is ethical, effective, and responsive to on-the-ground realities.

Co-design offers a path toward more equitable humanitarian innovation. By putting ‘community-in-the-loop’, we can build AI solutions that align with communities' priorities, constraints, and aspirations while mitigating risks of bias, misuse, or unintended harm.

The SAFE AI Framework aims to ensure crisis-affected populations have meaningful input into how AI shapes the assistance they receive. It provides guidance and methods for meaningful community engagement.