How ChatGPT Might Be Able to Help the World’s Poorest and the Organisations that Work with Them

ChatGPT has been touted as a tool that is going to revolutionise the workplace and home – but can it benefit people who don’t have all these advantages?

For the time being, ChatGPT seems like a handy tool for well-intentioned NGOs, but not so much for the ordinary individuals that they assist. Without users having the means to monitor the ethics and truthfulness of ChatGPT’s suggestions, AI systems could become dangerous enablers for disinformation and misinformation.

"These problems and others act as key obstacles to local economic development," explains Shyama Ramani and Maximilian Bruder.

This article delves into the potential of ChatGPT to assist economically disadvantaged communities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in addressing various social issues. The authors acknowledge the widespread use of ChatGPT as a tool poised to revolutionize not only workplaces but also households, as evident from the considerable traffic to the ChatGPT website. The article finds its basis in the authors' association with Friend in Need India Trust (FIN), an NGO operating in the isolated fishing village of Kameswaram in Tamil Nadu.

Here are a few takeaways:

• Experiments with NGOs for Social Causes. The article describes experiments conducted in collaboration with FIN to assess how ChatGPT could help address issues like women's empowerment, pollution, and sanitation challenges. These experiments were conducted to gauge the AI tool's effectiveness in aiding community-driven initiatives.
• Limitations and Ethical Concerns. The article raises important ethical concerns regarding the use of ChatGPT, including misinformation and potential reinforcement of harmful behaviours or prejudices within communities.
• Importance of Human Oversight and Monitoring. The article stresses the crucial role of human oversight in AI implementations. It highlights that AI tools should be monitored and guided by humans to align with intended goals and values.

Shyama Ramani is currently studying the role of technology and innovation in attaining Sustainable Development Goals.

Maximilian Bruder is currently enrolled as a PhD fellow at the United Nations University – MERIT, in Maastricht Netherlands.

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