Artificial intelligence which is agricultures other AI and also referred to as deep learning or machine learning (ML) interacts with us every day. From Siri, to Alexa, to cars that help you drive and park, to algorithms that serve you ads, news, job and home listings, to suggestions for what music and news to listen to, its there. The goals of artificial intelligence include learning, reasoning, and perception the computer programs write themselves, get better the more data they are fed to learn from (co-called Big Data), and we dont really know how they do it.

Agriculture is one of the oldest and most important professions; worldwide it is a $5 trillion industry. The global population is expected to reach more than 9 billion by 2050, and agricultural production will need to more than double (70 percent) to fulfill the demand. Land, water, and resources are already becoming insufficient due to multiple economic, environmental, and sociological forces. A smarter, more efficient, and even more productive approach for the supply-demand chain is urgently needed.

Artificial intelligence technologies are poised to yield healthier crops, control pests, monitor soil, and growing conditions, organize data for farmers, help with the workload, and improve a wide range of agriculture-related tasks in the entire food supply chain. Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and advanced analytics help farmers analyze real time data like weather, temperature, moisture, prices, or GPS signals.

A few examples of AI- or ML-enabled technologies are:

Farmers are contributing to the development of these high-tech scientific accomplishments: collecting the big data to feed and train these AI models, and helping to prove drone and robot technology for precise cultivation for higher crop yield and better quality while using fewer resources for the betterment of the entire industry. It is estimated that farmers generate over 4.1 million data points per day, and have already deployed over 75 million Internet of Things (IoT) interconnected devices.

AI will allow farms of all sizes to meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond.

Dr. Carol Lynn Curchoe is the founder of32ATPs, and is a scientist, teacher, consultant, advisor, and author. You canfind her on Twitter.

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Artificial intelligence is intertwined in precision agriculture - AGDAILY

AI isn't just for robotaxis.

Artificial intelligence technology is powering change across all industries, but its not always easy to separate the companies with truly transformative applications from marketing hype. Thats why Forbes annually compiles an annual list of the most promising startups emerging as leaders in this space.

Is AI central to what your company does, not just a driver for an auxiliary business or a tool to improve an existing product? We want to hear from you.

Nominations are now open for the third annual Forbes AI 50 list, which highlights private companies using artificial intelligence to solve difficult problems, create innovative services and effect positive change.

Read More: Americas Most Promising Artificial Intelligence Companies

Forbes, in partnership with Sequoia Capital, will evaluate hundreds of companies serving a range of industries and consider metrics including AI talent, revenue, growth and valuation. A panel of expert judges will also assess how innovative and essential AI is to each applicant companys business.

We welcome any U.S.-based (or Canadian) private company to apply by filling out this form. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, January 19. (The number of nominations wont influence our selection, so stick to just one submission per company, please.)

We look forward to hearing from you!

From Los Angeles, the U.S. capitol of cars and congestion, I try to make sense of technology-driven changes reshaping how we get around. Find me on Twitter at

From Los Angeles, the U.S. capitol of cars and congestion, I try to make sense of technology-driven changes reshaping how we get around. Find me on Twitter at @alanohnsman

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Using Artificial Intelligence To Transform An Industry? Nominations For The 2021 AI 50 List Are Open - Forbes

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Congressman Jim Banks (R-IN-3) agreed, warning, "The U.S. cannot afford to cede leadership in the technological arms race. If China surpassesus in a field like AI or quantum, it will have significant implications for U.S. national security, economic competitiveness, and way of life."

Luke McCormack, former Department Homeland Security CIO, led an engaging discussion onAI Applications for Good, while former Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, David Aguilar explored how AI and Edge Computing on the Frontlines is transforming the border mission. Dr. Reggie Brothers, CEO of NuWave Solutions and former Under Secretary for Science and Technology at the Department of Homeland Security directed an intriguing discussion on Achieving Security Outcomes through AI.

Speakers all agreed that the government is making progress in AI, but a more coordinated approach is needed, and that the government can learn from the more advanced capabilities and understanding of the private sector. "With AI we need a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach that leverages public-private partnerships to our greatest advantage," stated Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL-2).

"The success of AI applications in government depends a great deal on security, data governance, clean data sets and an understanding of data sources," summarized Megan Mance, Executive Director of HSDF. "Leveraging cloud and storage innovations will help deliver AI capabilities to the mission operators on the front line."

Read the full report at https://www.hsdf.org

ABOUT EVENT ORGANIZERS:This event was hosted by the Center for Public Policy Innovation (CPPI) and the Homeland Security and Defense Forum (HSDF). CPPI is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit think tank whose mission is to assist government officials in addressing the challenging issues brought on by the rapid advancement of Technology. HSDF's mission is to facilitate dialogue between the public and private sectors on homeland and national security issues.

Media Contact: Megan Mance[emailprotected]

SOURCE Homeland Security and Defense Forum

https://www.hsdf.org

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CPPI and HSDF Release Report from Virtual Symposium: Artificial Intelligence: Transforming the Government Mission - PRNewswire

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- COVID-19 has been a major driver behind explosive technological advances this year as companies have focused on doing what they do best but even better. While some advancements have targeted saving lives, others have focused on saving livelihoods, as financial stability and security can be almost as important as health in today's world of emotional and economic fear and uncertainty. The pandemic has transformed the world in many ways, including bringing data collection and digital technologies to the forefront of a socially distanced world. With this in mind, Loop Insights Inc. (TSX.V: MTRX) (OTCQB: RACMF) (Profile) recently made history by offering the first-ever, end-to-end venue-tracing and management solution. A provider of contactless solutions and artificial intelligence aimed at driving automated marketing, venue management and tracing to the brick-and-mortar space, Loop made its mark as it created a "bubble" platform for NCAA basketball to take place in Nevada and Florida. Using Loop Insights' venue-tracing platform combined with revised safety protocol, numerous games were played over several days and in several venues without a single case of COVID-19 being reported. Data collection, automated marketing and other transformational technology is driving success for other industry movers and shakers as well. The cloud data platform Snowflake Inc. (NYSE: SNOW) recently announced a partnership with the state of California to deliver fast, frictionless public access to COVID-19 data via the Snowflake Data Marketplace. Automated marketing is key to Shopify Inc. (TSX:SHOP) (NYSE:SHOP), the leading multi-channel commerce platform that just unveiled the latest in commerce technology. Commerce is also at the heart of ads, one of the main services provided by Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB). And in terms of sheer ability to manage and aggregate data, Nielsen N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) just announced plans to launch Nielsen One, a single, cross-media solution to drive more comparable and comprehensive metrics across platforms.

Click hereto view the custom infographic of the Loop Insights editorial.

A Bubble of Safety, Protection

Once reserved for the most sick and frail, a "bubble" means something different today than it ever has before. With the COVID-19 pandemic topping 16 million casesand the death count nearing 300,000, bubbles today are viewed as places of safety and protection for just about everyone, regardless of whether they are traveling, playing or watching sports, or even attending school or working at the office.

The idea of creating such a vast and complete bubble might seem unrealistic and financially prohibitive. However, real-world experience has proven otherwise. In an attempt to save its 2020 season, the NBA invested $150 million to create the "Disney World Bubble," which "recouped $1.5 billion in revenuethat might have been lost had the season ended when COVID-19 paused it on March 11. And no positive tests came out of the bubble among players, staff and media."After losing nearly $1 billionby scrapping its popular March Madness tournament this year, the NCAA is looking to avoid a repeat.

The Loop System

The NCAA has substantial proof that a bubble is effective after partnering with Loop Insights Inc. (TSX.V: MTRX) (OTCQB: RACMF)and its turnkey venue-tracing solution. The collegiate sports organization planned and put together the #VegasBubble in Nevada and the #BeachBubble in Florida during the 10 days of the basketball season, which included 11 NCAA Division 1 men's and women's teams.

An integral part of the plan was Loop's system, which included all the requisite hardware, software, rapid mobile testing and integrated lab results. All users have to do is register and receive a wallet pass on their mobile phones and then check in at designated contactless devices. After that, location-based beacons, GPS and Internet of Things (IoT) technology takes over.

The system is infinitely scalable and has proven high adoption rates compared to other apps because additional hardware or software isn't required. The system uses the mobile wallet that already exists on a user's mobile device. Loop uses this same near-field communication (NFC) technology backed by Apple and Google.

And in a world where personal information is paramount, all collected data is de-identified and securely stored in Loop's data portal where its artificial intelligence (AI) technology shares essential details such as movements, active users, occupancy levels, promotions and more. In addition, Loop' s real-time messaging keeps users up-to-date on critical information and alerts individuals who are at risk or in need of a COVID-19 rapid test.

Indisputable Data

The world has been devastated by COVID-19 in so many different ways. And while healthy is paramount, it has becoming increasingly evident that the ability to enjoy life and earn a living cannot be underestimated. With that in mind, the value of sports at all levels is rising. Teams, schools, leagues and ancillary businesses that depend on sports cannot afford to see seasons canceled. Loop and its partner, bdG Sports, one of the nation's leading content providers in college basketball programming, clearly proved that they don't have to be.

The two innovation leaders worked closely with the NCAA and host sites to identify best practices under new health and safety protocols and implement the first-ever, end-to-end COVID-19 venue solution in a live environment. Given the months-long dearth of live events, the ability to plan, attend and enjoy a wide range of sports events in almost unlimited venues holds almost irresistible allure. Certainly Loop's bubble success has garnered the company worldwide attention.

It's not an exaggeration to say that the whole world was watching to see if Loop's claims that its technology could protect players and staff throughout the week-plus of men's and women's Division I games would stand up. And as teams battled over the ball at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mandalay Bay Events Center and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Hertz Arena and Alico Arena in Fort Meyers, Florida, Loop may have come out the clear winner.

The data is indisputable. Loop's system did not suffer any outages, and user experiences proved to be as seamless as anticipated. The #BeachBubble alone over seven days consisted of:

"[We] hit it out of the park," Loop reported, noting that its bubble solution "is nothing short of world-class." Armed with these successes and with few companies keeping up, Loop Insights is already in negotiations to re-open major sporting events from North America to Australia.

"Loop's venue bubble platform has provided us with the peace of mind to move forward with our return-to-play efforts in college basketball safely," said bdG Sports CEO Brooks Downing. In addition to safety and providing an aggregated report on activity via the Insights platform, companies obtain a competitive marketing edge because the data drives Loop's Engage platformto generate real-time targeted promotions to event attendees.

And protection and safety isn't the only thing Loop provided during the NCAA bubbles. In fact, the Loop system also provides sponsors with new revenue stream opportunities. The system also offers event sponsors the ability to add highly targeted promotions to Loop's venue-tracing wallet pass the perfect way to ensure that event attendees and participants see personalized promotions.

This innovative technology could mean the return of live sports, conventions, concerts and festivals. Loop recently partneredwith SimpliFlying, noting that discussions about possible uses have "significantly advanced" to offer travel bubbles with fully integrated rapid testing, tracing and notifications removing the need for mandated quarantines.

Technology, Data Come Together

Clearly the time has never been better for technology and data to come together, whether in the form of data collection, automated marketing or other transformational applications and uses. Other companies have clearly recognized the opportunity as well and are offering powerful products and services that meet compelling needs.

California has been using Snowflake Inc.'s (NYSE: SNOW) single, integrated cloud data platform to store and analyze a multitude of data sets, including the current number of COVID-19 cases across the state, total suspected cases, number of residents receiving treatment in a hospital ICU, available and in-use hospital beds and ventilators, and the demographics of COVID-19 patients. "The State of California's response to the COVID-19 emergency has been enhanced greatly by the ability to share, collaborate, and communicate data and information in new ways that are meaningful to health professionals and allied support entities during this crisis," said Scott Gregory, the state technology department's chief technology innovation officer.

Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP) (TSX:SHOP)is transforming commerce by announcing platform enhancements and updatesfocused on giving direct-to-consumer brands everything they need to build and manage a business. According to the company, innovations include a newly updated Shopify Plus platform for enterprise brands, more global capabilities, and for the first time, Shopify is expanding its offering with a fulfillment network that will allow merchants of all sizes to deliver their products fast and at a low cost.

A huge portion of Facebook Inc.'s (NASDAQ: FB) revenue stems from its ads; the company's most recent financials for Q3 2020 show more than $21 billion in ad revenue. "We had a strong quarter as people and businesses continue to rely on our services to stay connected and create economic opportunity during these tough times," said Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO. "We continue to make significant investments in our products and hiring in order to deliver new and meaningful experiences for our community around the world."

And just last week Nielsen N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) announced its exclusive cross-media solution, calledNielsen ONE, also targeting connecting advertisers and consumers in an easier, faster approach. As audiences move seamlessly between linear, streaming and digital, advertisers are demanding a single, deduplicated view of their audience across all platforms and mediums, while publishers want to provide more ad options for buyers and improve the overall viewer experience, Nielsen explained. Nielsen One provides visibility into audiences by platform and unique demographic profiles of each publisher.

With all the huge strides that companies are taking in efforts to provide the world with stability and security, there's reason to look toward the future with optimism. The advancements taking place today will almost certainly continue to have widespread use and life-changing applications moving forward.

For more information about Loop Insights, please visit Loop Insights Inc. (TSX.V: MTRX) (OTCQB: RACMF).

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Artificial Intelligence, Contactless Solutions Set to Provide Safety Protocols to Enable Reopening of Live Events in 2021 - PRNewswire

The great man theory holds that history is largely made by heroesbig, brawny, brainy dudes (always dudes) who reshape the future with brute force and brilliance. WIRED alum Alex Davies new book refutes that outdated theory. In Driven, Davies digs into the history of autonomous vehicles and the goofy, spirited cast of characters (still mostly dudes) who are working to shepherd the tech into existence. As Davies reveals, teamwork makes the dream work. Until it doesnt. Then the lawsuitsand in one engineers case, handcuffsfly.

Eventually, robot cars might reshape the way modern life works. Autonomous vehicles could be a $7 trillion business by 2050; today, multibillion-dollar companies like Alphabet, General Motors, Ford, and Tesla race to hammer out the kinks. But back at the opening of the century, AVs were an academic hobbyhorse. Then an obscure clause in a 2001 funding bill poured government money into developing robot tech. Just a few years later, Darpa held a literal robot race across the Mojave Desert. The kooky entrants are the same engineers banking millions at the worlds largest AV companies today. For many, the money was a nice incentive. But as one roboticist tells Davies, most are driven by the classic maker ethos: I sought something that would dent the world, that I could do with my own hands, that would happen in my time.

To paraphrase another visionary, the course of true engineering never did run smooth. Davies sharp narrative chronicles the personality clashes, philosophical divergences, funding crunches, and, in a shocking number of cases, troublesome wild creatures that get in robotics way. (A tip: When racing a robot across the desert, keep an eye out for the native tortoises, which will pee on you if you try to move them.) This is a book for anyone whos sick of the hero narrative, and who wants to learn about how the business of building world-shaking robots truly creaks along.Aarian Marshall

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The 8 Best Books About Artificial Intelligence to Read Now - WIRED

Spin hopes the technology will help to build trust with consumers and cities

Spin, the micro-mobility unit of Ford Motor Company, is partnering with Drover AI to incorporate its PathPilot technology into its next-generation Insight e-scooter monitoring platform.

The technology will be rolled out to cities in the US and across the UK and other regions around the world in 2021. New York City could be the first to receive a large-scale deployment.

Drover AI specialises in advanced AI-based Internet of Things (IoT) solutions for last-mile transportation. Its PathPilot platform uses machine learning and computer vision to detect improper sidewalk riding and parking of e-scooters with an expected accuracy rate of better than 95 per cent, claims the companies.

Spin Insight Level 2, powered by Drover AIs technology, will equip Spins vehicles with a camera, an array of sensors, and on-board computing power. The technology claims to be highly adaptive and easily scaled to new environments, allowing an e-scooter to understand its surroundings in real-time and assist riders in making safe riding decisions.

In a statement, Spin said that it has included Spin Insight Level 2 in a proposal for the first time as part of the e-scooter permit application for New York City. If Spin is awarded a permit in New York City, the city will receive the first large-scale deployment of Spins sidewalk riding and improper parking solution, starting in the Spring.

Originally posted here:
Spin to equip its e-scooters with on-vehicle artificial intelligence - SmartCitiesWorld

KODA AUTO has been presented with the Pioneer Award for its use of artificial intelligence in vehicle diagnostics. At this years CONNECTED CAR Awards, the trade magazines Auto Bild and Computer Bild chose KODAs Sound Analyser app as the winner of the editorial prize reserved for particularly innovative ideas. Using a smartphone or tablet, the noises a car makes while in operation can be recorded and compared with stored sound patterns. On this basis, the software can quickly and reliably detect if the vehicle in question requires any maintenance.

KODA AUTO has been using AI technologies for even more accurate car diagnostics in terms of servicing since June 2019. The Sound Analyser app, which runs on standard smartphones or tablets, is just one example. It records the noises a car makes while it is running and compares them with stored sound patterns. In the event of any discrepancies, the app uses an algorithm to determine what they are and how they can be resolved. In this way, Sound Analyser helps to make vehicle maintenance more efficient, reduce the time a car spends at the garage and achieve even higher levels of customer satisfaction.

The smartphone app was developed by KODA AUTO DigiLab, the Czech carmakers innovation workshop, and was initially trialled with a total of 245 KODA dealers across 14 countries in June 2019. With ongoing use, the AI-based app continuously recognises and learns new sound patterns. The software can identify the sounds produced by components such as the steering system, the air conditioning compressor or the clutches in the direct-shift gearbox with an accuracy of over 90 per cent.

The Pioneer Award is part of the CONNECTED CAR Awards, which was hosted by Auto Bild and Computer Bild for the seventh time. The readers are invited to vote for tomorrows most promising trends and the biggest innovations. Special ideas, projects and concepts are presented with the two trade journals editorial Pioneer Award.

Technologies based on artificial intelligence perform cognitive functions that otherwise only humans are capable of. In addition to Sound Analyser, KODA AUTO is exploring numerous other applications for AI-based technologies. The Follow the Vehicle project sees the car manufacturer, together with the VB Technical University of Ostrava, test passenger car convoys, in which autonomous cars follow a lead vehicle with a driver. The company also uses imaging technology to identify available parking spaces at its headquarters in Mlad Boleslav.

SOURCE: KODA

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KODA AUTO wins Pioneer Award for its use of artificial intelligence and Sound Analyser app - Automotive World

Fueled by government and industry partnerships as well as a plethora of private companies, the United States is poised to take the lead in the worldwide development and use of artificial intelligence and its close cousins machine learning, cognitive computing, deep learning and advanced expert systems. The technology is already revolutionizing many industries, making inroads into government, and shows no sign of slowing down its evolution.

The federal government has been a proponent of AI and its intrinsic advantages for some time. The AI in Government Act of 2020 (H.R. 2575) passed the House and has been placed on the legislative agenda in the Senate. The bill would create centers of excellence in the General Services Administration that will help agencies adopt AI technologies and plan for its use across government.

Military and intelligence agencies have also been actively working to integrate AI into their capabilities. They are actively studying the ethics of the technology, including what AI should and should not be allowed to do. In February, the Defense Department adopted five ethical principles for using AI. The intelligence community released its own Artificial Intelligence Ethics for the Intelligence Community, which is very similar to the DOD plan, though with a few variants more suited to civilian and non-battlefield deployments.

Keeping AIs on an ethical short leash is important because on some level people fear AIs, or at least highly mistrust them. Quite a few sci-fi movies and TV shows feature a power-hungry AI trying to take over the world or eliminate humanity. Its unlikely that anyone would be stupid enough to build an AI that wants to kill people, much less give it a platform to do so. But it turns out that with AI, we should have been worried about a different kind of power craving.

An article in The Print magazine recently covered this years virtual Semicon West conference, which is generally attended by those who manufacture computer chips. At the show, Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson warned his colleagues during the keynote address that the use of AI would spike power consumption in data centers to the point where it might make them difficult to maintain.

AI has the potential to change everything, Dickerson said. But AI has an Achilles heel that, unless addressed, will prevent it from reaching its true potential. That Achilles heel is power consumption. Training neural networks is incredibly energy-intensive when done with the technology thats available today.

As an example of the scope of the problem, Dickerson said that data centers today consume just 2% of the worlds electricity supply. Because of the use of AI, by 2025 he predicted that demand would shoot up to 15%.

The problem I think is not just the chips and hardware, but the fact that AIs are generally not optimized to use computing resources. Most of them grab as much power as they need, or whatever is available, to complete their tasks. To test this out, I experimented with some AIs in my test lab which I was planning on covering in a future column.

One of the things that I can do in my lab is monitor the exact power consumption of various devices and machines being reviewed. I do that to confirm that devices are as efficient as they claim, or to check to see how much standby power they drain when not in use. But I can also apply a standard electrical payment rate to determine how much each task or operation that a machine performs will cost.

For example, on a test workstation, it costs just one cent to open up a Microsoft Word file, and almost double that to open Adobe Photoshop. You generally dont think of individual computer tasks costing money, but doing something like opening a file causes the computer to use more resources like the disk drive, graphics card and memory. That in turn generates heat, which forces more power to the cooling system. My calculation is not fully precise because to do that I would need to take into account the systems thermal design power, which individual actions generally wont be able to measurably affect. But it does show the relative power-hungry nature of different components or programs.

Looking at the different AIs that I had in my lab, I first used one that was designed to scan my incoming email and generate automatic responses based on my previous interactions. When it was initially ingesting data it ran the workstation pretty hard, consuming 53 cents worth of power above what the workstation would normally need over the same period. Thereafter, it spent between two and three cents every time an email came in, though it generated more when updating its database or learning new information.

Another AI that I tested is designed to look at programming code to search for vulnerabilities and then suggest alternative fixes. It can also be set to automatically make changes to the code, which I allowed. In the case of that AI, it only pushed the workstation when I was actively feeding it code, but when it was active it was quite a beast. The workstations internal fans sounded like jet engines preparing for takeoff. Had the AI been constantly on duty, the workstation would have consumed about 1,300 kilowatts of power over a calendar year, which is about five times more than if the machine were idol or performing less intensive tasks.

Based on those results, its easy to see how AIs could force data centers to consume five or six times more power than they do right now. Im not sure what all the ramifications are at having one-sixth of the worlds total power output flowing into U.S. data centers, but its something we should think about. Even the effects on the environment and global warming should probably be taken into consideration.

We are doing a good job at keeping AIs on the right side of ethics, but perhaps we should also find ways to curb their appetite for power. It might be time to add some kind of resource efficiency guideline to those ethics statements to help keep future AIs in check before the power consumption problem becomes too big to manage, and before it puts the brakes on our otherwise lightning fast AI development programs.

John Breeden II is an award-winning journalist and reviewer with over 20 years of experience covering technology. He is the CEO of the Tech Writers Bureau, a group that creates technological thought leadership content for organizations of all sizes. Twitter: @LabGuys

Link:
Artificial Intelligences Are Power Hungry, But Not How You Think - Nextgov

AI is not infallible, it is made by people and humans can make mistakes. That is why people need to be aware when AI is used, how it works and how to challenge automated decisions. The EU needs to clarify how existing rules apply to AI. And organisations need to assess how their technologies can interfere with people's rights both in the development and use of AI, says FRA Director Michael OFlaherty. We have an opportunity to shape AI that not only respects our human and fundamental rights but that also protects and promotes them.

The FRA report Getting the future right Artificial intelligence and fundamental rights in the EU identifies pitfalls in the use of AI, for example in predictive policing, medical diagnoses, social services, and targeted advertising. It calls on the EU and EU countries to:

The report is part of FRAs project on artificial intelligence and big data. It draws on over 100 interviews with public and private organisations already using AI. These include observations from experts involved in monitoring potential fundamental rights violations. Its analysis is based on real uses of AI from Estonia, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Spain.

On 14 December, FRA and the German Presidency of the Council of the EU organise a conference Doing AI the European way: Protecting fundamental rights in an era of artificial intelligence.

For more, please contact: media@fra.europa.eu / Tel.: +43 1 580 30 653

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Now is the time to ensure artificial intelligence works for Europeans - EU News

Photo: Vishnu Nishad/Unsplash

COVID-19 is not the only pandemic striking India. Eight-year-old Rakesh died of hunger during the national lockdown in March 2020. The 1-year-old son of Sevak Ram succumbed to acute malnourishment in June. These are not isolated cases. India is fighting a dual battle against malnutrition and COVID-19. The lockdown has disrupted access to rations and other essential services, closed schools (cutting off midday meals for children), and led to job losses, putting millions of families in India at even higher risk of extreme poverty and malnutrition.

Even before the pandemic, India accounted for a third of the global burden of malnutrition. In rural areas, stunting, wasting, and impaired immunity are common due to nutrient deficiencies. While India has made progress in maternal and child nutrition in recent years, disparities persist and the COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the crisis. The COVID-19 lockdown and the associated economic shocks put formerly food-secure households at increased risk, which will have a direct impact on the nutritional intake of children.

At the same time, the lockdowns have increased the time fathers spend at home and opened opportunities to increase their involvement in child nutrition and development. Earlier diagnostic work conducted in households with small children had established high smartphone penetration and social media usage among young fathers. Could we use this information, coupled with fathers increased time with their children, for a rapid intervention to prevent child nutrition from backsliding?

The World Banks eMBeD team and Quilt.AI set out to understand whether social media could be used to get fathers motivated and active in ensuring their childrens nutrition. We did this in three steps:

First, we set out to explore the online discourse on child nutrition, with a focus on fathers. What do fathers search for, care about, and talk about? Quilt.AIs Culture AI was deployed to extract the digital footprint of parents and caregivers in two of Indias poorest and most malnourished states: Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Data pertaining to 47 million searches and 1,500 unique keywords from 2019-20, blog posts on nutrition, social media uploads, and content consumed by caregivers was analyzed by a team of researchers. We looked at fathers and mothers (based on their online profiles and identification), though we were specifically after fathers. We found:

Evolution of search queries for terms related to child nutrition in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Second, the online discourse was further segmented into seven types of personas with distinct characteristics to help gain a nuanced understanding of how caregivers, with different gender, socio-economic and age demographics, express themselves on nutrition, both on social media platforms and search behavior. This population segmentation helped identify which caregiver profiles to target during the social media intervention. We decided to focus on three profiles: Traditional caregivers, caregivers in transition, and modern caregivers, all with specific characteristics (age, gender, location):

Third, we designed a social media intervention to get fathers more involved into child nutrition. We used the profiles to identify specific ways to frame and present messages to fathers under each of these profiles, for a campaign that will target them as they engage with social media for other things.

The pilot campaign is happening now (on Facebook and Instagram) in 52 districts in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The online campaigns images and messages cover 14 different topic areas, from expanding the concept of what makes a good provider, to increasing fathers role in child feeding (see example below). Some messages provide clear actions fathers can take to engage with their children in food-related activities; others link nutrition with aspects of child development where fathers are more involved, such as cognitive development and educational outcomes. Each topic message has been adapted to appeal to each of the profiles identified. We will look at the campaigns effects on knowledge, interest, and behaviors.

English text of the image: Eggs are packed with protein and can be made in many ways; discuss new recipes with your wife today!

Pushed by the constraints of COVID-19 regulations, our team had to adapt. Using insights from online profiles and search behavior to inform the design of communications interventions offers an opportunity to tailor interventions when you cannot collect additional data from intended target populations. Pilots like this can also help us unlock insights and overcome barriers to effective social and behavior change interventions, and particularly how to connect peoples online behavior with their real life. Stay tuned for our results.

Originally posted here:
Leveraging artificial intelligence to reach fathers and support child nutrition in India during COVID-19 - World Bank Group