Inclusive Research Network - Latin America

This project is funded by IDRC only.

Vulnerable communities across Latin America and the Caribbean, including migrants, LGBTQ2S+, indigenous people, low-income communities, linguistic minorities, and particularly women from across those communities, will benefit from an enhanced voice in the development of AI applications for their use and benefit. The current status quo in AI development across the region is market-driven, profit seeking, and led by a small and unrepresentative groups of AI developers. While responsible AI narratives are gaining some traction at the governance level, there are few regulations in place designed to explicitly assess who is being left behind by AI tools or how biases are being replicated in their outcomes. Applying community co-creation and feminist methodologies to AI development continues to be niche and nascent globally, and particularly across the Global South. This project will contribute valuable evidence and demonstration through real world applications, what the benefits of AI could be if used for inclusion.

With gender-focused funding decreasing globally and societal push-back, there is a medium risk of limited policy influence. This project aims to develop AI applications for engaged communities and non-profit groups, thus extending the technology's impact beyond policy influence. A communication strategy will be devised to share outcomes and evidence with government, civil society, regional and international organizations, and the public.