Closing the rural gender gap - Episode 66
In this episode, you’ll hear from the winners of this year’s IFAD Gender Awards and learn how they're building a prosperous, more gender-equal future for farming.
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies become exponentially more capable, they can contribute to solving some of the most pressing challenges, from climate change to food insecurity.
But with this opportunity comes risk. If misused, AI could intensify bias or increase misinformation. That is why it is crucial to use AI responsibly and ethically, ensuring human rights, dignity and well-being. And that is why IFAD proactively works with partners to ensure AI is a force for good.
We contribute to the development of UN-wide normative and operational AI frameworks and follow the Principles for the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in the United Nations System. Moreover, we developed a unique and inclusive approach to using AI in our daily work, supported by our own internal guidelines.
How IFAD is using AI
IFAD is already using AI to help our organization deliver better development results by harnessing data in new ways. We were one of the first multilateral organizations to leverage AI technologies, such as Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service.
Here are some of the ways IFAD is using AI to achieve greater impact for rural people:
What’s next
AI for development is still in its early days. It has enormous potential to create vibrant, inclusive and sustainable rural economies through ground-breaking advances.
For example, AI can minimize crop failures by diagnosing plant disease and pest infestation in real-time, offering tailored and localized advice to farmers via mobile devices for effective treatment. Or as climate change worsens, AI can track weather patterns and simulate how rural communities may be affected to avoid the worst outcomes and build resilience.
IFAD has the tools and capabilities in place to leverage the transformational power of AI to support rural economies in becoming more inclusive, productive, resilient and sustainable.
Just as AI exponentially matures, so too can our impact if we learn how to effectively harness its power and steer it as a force for better development outcomes and impact on the ground.
The most exciting aspect is that AI opens possibilities towards solving previously intractable problems, allowing us to think big and ask “what if…” with renewed optimism about the immense potential ahead of us.