- The AI Evidence Alliance for Social Impact (AEASI) — has been launched to promote the responsible and evidence-based use of artificial intelligence
- AEASI is part of a broader $7.5 million collaboration with Google.org supporting AI impact evaluations.
- The alliance, announced at the AI for Africa Conference in Cape Town, will connect AI developers, policymakers, and researchers
A new £2.75 million ($3.7 million) initiative — the AI Evidence Alliance for Social Impact (AEASI) — has been launched to promote the responsible and evidence-based use of artificial intelligence for social good in Africa and Asia.
Formed by Community Jameel, in partnership with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and IDinsight, AEASI is part of a broader $7.5 million collaboration with Google.org supporting AI impact evaluations.
The alliance, announced at the AI for Africa Conference in Cape Town, will connect AI developers, policymakers, and researchers to study the social benefits and risks of AI deployment. It aims to fund research, support local leadership in AI innovation, and scale effective, ethical technologies across developing regions.
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UK Minister for AI and Online Safety Kanishka Narayan said the initiative supports “African-led innovation that puts people first.”
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Key Takeaways
The launch of AEASI marks a growing shift toward locally-led, evidence-driven AI governance in the Global South. While AI adoption in Africa and Asia is accelerating, regulatory and ethical frameworks often lag behind innovation, raising concerns around bias, data privacy, and inequality. By combining resources from international partners such as Community Jameel, J-PAL, and Google.org, the alliance seeks to close this “evidence gap” — generating actionable research on both the social benefits and harms of AI systems. Its emphasis on African and Asian participation in defining priorities represents a departure from traditional top-down tech interventions. For governments and multilateral agencies, AEASI’s outcomes could inform more inclusive AI policies and funding strategies, ensuring that emerging AI solutions enhance livelihoods rather than deepen disparities. The initiative also positions Africa and Asia as co-creators — not just adopters — of global AI governance standards.
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