Inspiring Examples of AI Applications for Good

Content

• Designing Innovative Products
• Leveraging AI for Activism
• Aiding Climate Change Research
• Being optimistic is naïve

Due to the last striking developments of AI especially with ChatGPT, the volume of critiques addressed to it is massive. Everyone is commenting on the performance of ChatGPT boss Sam Altman questioned at the US Congress, and just a few weeks ago Elon Musk made huge investments into ai after signing a letter calling for a moratorium on developing such technology. But a deep reflection published in The Guardian looks at the weakest aspects underlying the optimistic promises coming from the promoters of the new AI tools and it will be analysed at the end of this article. The real question to pose is the following: Do the potential benefits outweigh the risked damages of a technology whose capabilities seem to be beyond human control?

Let’s have a look at some inspirational examples of how ai-generated content can contribute to a positive impact.

Designing Innovative Products

One of the most prominent designers of our times, Don Norman points out how everything around us is artificial, from the products to the way we travel or eat, but also the seasons of the year or the standard hours of a day. From the moment that these concepts are human-made, they are also human designed and therefore designers have a big responsibility.

Thinking outside of the box and visualising seemingly crazy ideas is key for disruptive innovation that could foster a greener future. The new language models that allow to visualize creative ideas with just a few prompts can definitely empower designers. Below you can find some stunning examples of creations going in that direction.

Leveraging AI for Activism

Arguably one of the most critical steps in tackling big problems is to acknowledge the problems in the first place and be able to perceive the relative sense of urgency. Creating awareness is a common task of every marketer and the digital noise bombarding people every day makes this task increasingly difficult. Text-to-content algorithms can help create striking content, usually images, that would have been otherwise difficult to render.

The example below shows a campaign aiming at educating people about the short life of farm animals compared to the life they would have in nature. Ai is seen as a powerful means to create “a better relationship with animals and nature” and as “an accelerator for a plant-based revolution in the food industry”.

Another campaign where ai was used with similar purposes was the one resulting from the partnership between WWF, the AI Creative Community, and Brave Bison. As part of the annual #WORLDWITHOUTNATURE initiative, the AI Creative Community was invited to envision a world without nature. The goal was to lift thoughts and emotions by showing an apocalyptic and said future where humanity is heading to.

Aiding Climate Change Research

For the last part of this article, I asked ChatGPT to help me summarise an article that deals with the topic and add its own view on the subject. Here is the result:

CathGPT: “ChatGPT has versatile applications for achieving several UN SDGs, including health and well-being, education quality, sustainable energy, cities and communities, climate action, and peace and justice.

It can analyze clinical data for disease diagnosis and improve education by analyzing student performance and creating personalized learning strategies.

In the realm of sustainable energy, ChatGPT analyzes energy data and supports planning for eco-friendly cities. It contributes to climate action by analyzing weather patterns and promoting renewable energy approaches.

Additionally, ChatGPT examines legal data to identify areas for reform, aiding in the development of efficient justice systems to combat crime and corruption, particularly for marginalized communities.”

Me: “Can you please add a short paragraph about your view on this subject?”

ChatGPT: “As an AI language model, I don’t possess personal views or opinions. However, I can acknowledge that the application of AI models like ChatGPT to address the UN SDGs holds significant potential for positive impact. By leveraging its analytical capabilities, ChatGPT can contribute to various domains, ranging from healthcare and education to sustainable development and justice. It is encouraging to see technology being utilized in ways that align with global goals and have the potential to make a tangible difference in society. Nevertheless, it’s important to ensure responsible and ethical implementation of AI tools, considering potential limitations, biases, and the need for human oversight in decision-making processes.”

Being optimistic is naïve

I would like to conclude by taking a broader look at the debate revolving around the ai breakthrough. According to an extensive article on the subject by Naomi Klein, all the positive views on the revolutionary promises of AI would be unfounded. She states that the solutions to fight climate change have been provided by eminent researchers and intellectuals already time ago, but our broken system is designed to ignore those recommendations. She claims that AI will demand a lot of energy to run the servers, it will be exploited by big corporations to sell more carbon-spewing products, and it will contribute to the spread of fake news and distrust. Although this view is quite extreme, I cannot disagree completely.

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