AI and Big Tech: A New Twist in Global Development

A world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) could solve all our problems. That's what the AI for Social Good (AI4SG) movement is all about. It's like using big tech tools to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). But is it really that simple? Some people think Big Tech companies are using this movement to push their own agenda. They call it "AI-driven technosolutionism. " This means using AI solutions to solve problems in a way that benefits the tech companies. It's like they're trying to find new ways to make money while helping people. AI4SG has a history that goes back to the days of using information and communication technology for development (ICT4D). It's also connected to something called the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). This is when AI and other digital innovations became super important for how countries and the world develop. One big issue is that Big Tech might be trying to make these developments seem less about politics. They do this by using something called "datafication. " This is when they turn real-world things into data that computers can understand. By doing this, they might be trying to make the development process less about who makes the decisions and more about what the tech can do. So, are AI4SG and 4IR working together to change how we think about development? Maybe. But it's important to think about who benefits and who might get left behind.