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Ep 19: USAID, AI & Innovation: A Conversation with USAID Chief Innovation Officers
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Mohamed Abdel-Kader, Chief Innovation Officer at USAID and Alexis Bonnell, Former Chief Innovation Officer at USAID, discussed the impact of AI and other machine learning tools. They explored the balance between the risks and rewards associated with these tools, reaching a consensus that AI can revolutionize USAID's impact when appropriately developed and utilized. The discussion emphasized the importance of developing AI to benefit all countries where USAID is active, not just English-speaking nations.
Recognizing the rapid advancement of machine learning, the speakers stressed the need for precision and thoughtfulness in posing questions to AI, given its evolving nature. They also addressed issues of localization, pointing out the challenges when native languages are overlooked or when communities lack access to computers.
Mike highlighted upcoming events for those interested in collaborating with USAID. On February 15th, SID-US will host its annual career fair, followed by the annual conference on April 26th in Washington, DC. He expressed his belief that this conference is a must-attend event of the year.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[01:53] Mike Shanley introduces today's guests and shares their backgrounds.
[02:53] Mohamed describes his role at USAID as Chief Innovation Officer and talks about how technology is advancing with the advent of machine learning tools.
[6:30] Mohamed touches on some of the early-use cases that he's seen of AI applications or other technologies.
[12:47] Mohamed reflects on the potential risks AI presents and whether the good outweighs the bad.
[17:04] Alexis comments that we are navigating at a different rate of change in technology; therefore, we need to be intentional about how we use AI, and she provides an example of an experiment she led.
[26:08] Mohamed discusses the ethical development of AI, strengthening policies and systems that govern AI and accessing computing power in parts of the world where it's cost-prohibitive.
[31:38] Alexis discusses how the cultures and identities of different countries impact how you work with them. She describes a sector who asked themselves if they have been as innovative as they think they have been and how AI revealed a surprising result to their question.
[38:42] Mohamad discusses the significance of localization in AI, emphasizing the interconnected nature of our world and the necessity of incorporating it into our AI tools. He notes that numerous countries are enthusiastic about AI, viewing it as a tool to propel their advancement.
[46:00] Alexis says that there's a gold mine for all of the entities to bring unique applications to USAID, suggesting you can recycle or reuse proposals.
[52:34] The panelists leave advice to the listeners.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Led by Mohamed Abdel-Kader, USAID’s Innovation, Technology, and Research Hub, formerly known as the Global Development Lab, team is behind cutting edge tech development and approaches within the digital space. USAID strives to reach more people through innovative and cost effective approaches from cybersecurity, to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, digital finance, digital inclusion, and digital literacy.
AI is an extremely powerful tool that is evolving and changing daily. With this, comes the risk that a lot of people will be left behind. But there's also tremendous opportunity in the AI space. USAID actively works to intentionally shape this technology to be useful for everyone, while exploring the practicalities of how they might achieve this goal.
USAID plays a unique role in fostering the ethical development of AI and other tools through various approaches. Mohamed and his team focus on utilizing the powerful tool of AI responsibly in environments where there are a lot of vulnerable people. USAID takes an ecosystem approach to discern how AI as a tool sits in the broader digital ecosystem within USAID’s partner countries and how USAID can support the responsible use of AI and continue to shape that global agenda. They do this by strengthening the underlying policies and systems and civil society environment that shapes how AI is designed, developed, and deployed in partner countries, including the quality and representative data sets that are used to build these particular tools.
RESOURCES:
Co-host Society for International Development-US
BIOGRAPHIES:
Mohamed Abdel-Kader serves as USAID’s Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Director of the Innovation, Technology, and Research Hub. In these roles, he oversees various Agency mechanisms to promote the application of innovation, technology, and research for greater aid effectiveness within USAID and the inter-agency, and with our partners in the international development community, private sector, and civil society.
Prior to USAID, Mohamed advised companies, leading NGOs and multilateral organizations, foundations and educational institutions, and government agencies in addressing their most pressing challenges. He served in the Obama administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education in the U.S. Department of Education and later led the Aspen Institute’s Stevens Initiative, an international ed-tech program. He has also served several postsecondary institutions in international strategy and major gift fundraising roles.
A speaker of fluent Arabic and basic Spanish, Mohamed is a Truman National Security Fellow, an Eisenhower Fellow, and the author of a children’s book about stereotypes. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Clemson University, a Master’s degree in Higher Education from Vanderbilt University, and an MBA from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. He is also a trustee of the Longview Foundation for International Education & World Affairs.
Alexis Bonnell is the Chief Information Officer and Director of the Digital Capabilities Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory, the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. She is responsible for developing and executing the AFRL Information Technology strategy, leading the strategic development of highly advanced next generation technologies and platforms for AFRL. Her focus includes catalyzing the discovery, development, and integration of warfighting technologies for air, space, and cyberspace forces via digital capabilities, IT infrastructure and technological innovation across the lab’s operations and culture.
She was one of the first employees of the Internet Trade Association, contributing to the early development and growth of the digital landscape. She has served in challenging environments, including warzones with the United Nations to support over $1B of critical DOD operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and many other operational theaters. She has contributed to dual-use technology and innovation culture across the DOD Innovation community including: AFWERX, AFRL, Kessel Run, NavalX, Marine Innovation Unit, Army Futures Command, DIU, Army Software Factory, DARPA and more. Prior to her current position, she was the Emerging Technology Evangelist at Google, driving the use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, cyber security/zero trust, API First, Big Data, Cloud Computing, and others to drive efficiency and innovation within government organizations, including tackling digital transformation in defense, healthcare, education, COVID response, natural disasters, supply chain, system/process modernization, hybrid workforce and more.
Bonnell co-founded the Global Development Lab, the premier innovation lab of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), leveraging Global Allied Nation partnerships in Science, Technology, and Innovation, reviewing over 25,000 game changing innovations and technologies, funding 1,200 of them. She served as USAID’s Chief Innovation Officer, receiving the first 10/10 for innovation in the Results For America Rankings. She was named in the Fed 100 in 2020. She also assisted with major platform and technology transitions, drove hybrid work adoption, countering malign nation initiatives and global cyber security programming.
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