In late 2020, Togo initiated the Novissi project, leveraging AI to provide financial assistance to impoverished villagers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of traditional methods reliant on in-person surveys, AI analyzed satellite images and mobile network data to quickly identify the most vulnerable populations. This innovative approach facilitated direct transfers of approximately $10 bi-weekly to help cover basic needs like food. As a pioneering effort in combining technology with social welfare, it represents a potential new model in addressing global poverty effectively, especially during crises.
We needed a surgical approach, says Lawson. It was an important moment for the use of AI in anti-poverty work, she says.
AI allowed Lawson to leapfrog the conventional hurdles of using old and incomplete data to quickly make the most of her limited budget.
Ending that poverty requires an understanding of who is in need and what their needs are.
The project, dubbed Novissi, incorporated AI to determine who should receive aid.
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