Exploring Trusted AI Adoption: A Global South Perspective on Algorithms and Empathy

With the fast growth of AI across the world, a necessary and important debate is taking place in the global south about what we really mean to talk about when we mean “trusted AI.”

Empathy more than just algorithms While extending accurate and fair AI remain the domain of the data scientist and machine learning engineer, the AI community can emphasize the greater need for empathy and context to make it work for diverse groups, rather than against them.

Yet as governments around the world race to devise AI ethics guidelines and national AI strategies, a new report finds that the fastest growth in AI adoption is taking place in countries such as Indonesia, India, Nigeria and Brazil, ahead of scores of developed nations.

This represents an historic opportunity and a challenge, given that much of current AI rhetoric and practice has emerged in and from the Global North, without necessarily considering the unique economic and cultural circumstances of the Global South.

“It is critical to ‘demystify AI’ to ordinary citizens, in the language of local values, and in the context of the emotional and political realities in each society,” a recent analysis says.

That requires it to get beyond universal ethical laws and embrace “usable playbooks” that confront local quirks. For example, in time of crisis or disinformation, AI-supported tools may track narratives, model how specific population sub-groups (such as the urban poor, or farmers) think about news, and generate personalized counter-messages that speak with empathy and resonance.

The idea that AI should be a radio, rather than a megaphone, is catching on. Instead of AI upping top-down authority, it’s the frequency human hands have to dial by primal proximity and crowded noise, featuring clarity, emotional resonance, relevance. This viewpoint posits that, rather than focus on “AI understanding the citizens,” it should be more important that AI is designed to understand them, and not only them, but their stories, the trusted relational networks they involve themselves in, the lived experiences.

AI challenges for adoption in the Global South are myriad, ranging from infrastructure deficiencies and lack of high-quality localized data, to financial constraints and shortage of skilled employees. “But, the push for trusted AI adoption also relates to ethical issues – for example, data colonialism, and algorithmic bias, which has the potential to drive discrimination.”

The Global South is called on to spearhead this transformation, bringing not only data sets but also “alternative values” that can teach AI how to “speak not only with accuracy, but with dignity.” This includes delivering messages that are simple, true, and people focused, recognizing that empathy and an understanding of the reality on the ground is what builds trust.