While there have been tremendous advances in technology and more data than ever now available, for-profit companies tend to be the only entities with the necessary budget and staff to take advantage. What if the same algorithms that companies use to boost profits or recommend products could instead be applied to some of the toughest challenges the world faces today?
Whether it’s predicting and preventing human rights violations alongside Amnesty International, helping public utilities in California forecast water demand and improve allocation efforts during drought periods, or increasing government transparency by detecting edited content on federal websites, DataKind aims to tackle complex social issues, teaming up expert data scientists with mission-driven organisations on projects that leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).