AI improving fairness in global public social services

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used in many countries to help distribute public social services. This includes decisions on pensions, unemployment benefits, and kindergartner placements. The goal is to make the process fairer for individuals needing support. However, the idea of fairness can differ greatly between countries. In India, for example, social benefits can be influenced by the caste system. In China, a person's access to services may depend on their "good citizenship" score. Even within Europe, the standards of fairness are not the same. These insights come from research by the AI FORA project, led by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. The study involved comparing AI-based social assessments in nine countries, including Germany, the U.S., and Nigeria. The findings suggest that cultural and local factors significantly shape who receives government services. Experts argue that a one-size-fits-all AI system for managing public services is not effective. Instead, there is a need for flexible systems that can adapt to different contexts. Engaging various social stakeholders, especially vulnerable groups, is crucial in creating these AI solutions. The researchers plan to publish more findings on how AI can better address fairness and reduce discrimination in social services distribution.