Research-driven, human focused advisory----
our approach is unique in a few ways
Emerging technology such as AI has excited our imagination and also raised fears about its effects on people and planet. That's why AI for SDGs Canada takes an ethical and inclusive stance when advising clients - from ideation to implementation.
How we work
Designing a research-based
blueprint
Technology is neither good nor bad—rather, it's the use to which it's put that makes the difference. Our research shows that in order to progress sustainable development, emerging technology solutions must include three things.
Embeddedness
First, it must be embedded in the design, development, and implementation, rather than utilized as an external or secondary resource or tool.
The embeddedness of technology can be aligned with technological social responsibility (TSR). Popularized by McKinsey & Company, the term is explained as “a win-win across business and society from a socially careful and innovation-driven adoption strategy.”
Inclusivity
Second, it must consider and apply inclusivity in the design, development, and implementation.
With the increased dependence on emerging technology as a solution to development, inequitable relations may appear between those who define, control, and administer technology for development and the recipients of such solutions. These inequalities may ultimately violate the SDGs. Our approach considers aspects like:
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Who is included and excluded?
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Who benefits and why?
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How can the marginalized be empowered?
And then building the right toolkit
We want a world that promotes positive social impact—and we believe emerging technology such as AI can get us there.
Implementation
Third, it must reach recipients and end-users through effective diffusion, adoption, and feedback strategies.
Understanding how and why AI solutions are adopted can provide insights on consumption, communication channels, time to market, and social systems. As social, environmental, and technological needs and constraints evolve, encouraging feedback from relevant stakeholders is important to ensure that AI initiatives continue to add value to the user. This input ensures that voices and changing circumstances are considered and that resources are effectively allocated to address them.
Our focus areas
Sustainable Finance
We help financial institutions and investors who are seeking accurate, real-time, and predictive ESG data and analytics to support more informed responsible investing.
We also work with stakeholders who seek alternative disclosure data to uncover and assess company ESG performance.
Education
We are working to establish technology literacy for educators and students within the school setting. AI is designed to compliment teachers and students, rather than replace or disrupt.
Health
We are working with healthcare researchers and providers who are interested in utilizing AI for patient care, drug discovery and design, medical imagery, and patient volume prediction.
Poverty Reduction
We are working with cross-sector partners in two ways.
First, AI supports sustainable development experts in their efforts to predict and monitor poverty, besides plan and execute initiatives that address it. For instance, satellite imagery can be combined with demographic data to look at how deforestation, water shortages, extreme weather patterns, and urbanization impact poverty.
Second, AI supports unbanked and underserved individuals in several ways, including addressing difficulties in verifying identities, alternative credit scoring, underwriting services, financing, and affordable remittance.
AI for SDGs Canada supports the Sustainable Development Goals
