Community-Powered AI: Making Innovation Work for the People & Planet, Not Corporations
What if AI were developed to serve humanity rather than commerce?
Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash
“What if AI were developed to serve humanity rather than commerce?”
This is the question posed by AI for Good Foundation—a nonprofit bringing together the best minds and technologies to solve the world's most urgent challenges and advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The world would look very different if technological advancements were actually used for the good of humanity rather than concentrating power and wealth in the hands of a select few.
There wouldn’t still be hundreds of millions living in poverty, for starters.
Naomi Klein’s insightful analysis of AI cuts through the hype:
“There is a world in which generative AI, as a powerful predictive research tool and a performer of tedious tasks, could indeed be marshalled to benefit humanity, other species and our shared home. But for that to happen, these technologies would need to be deployed inside a vastly different economic and social order than our own, one that had as its purpose the meeting of human needs and the protection of the planetary systems that support all life.”
Despite the lofty promises of commercial AI companies to “benefit all of humanity”, the reality is very different. Goldman Sachs estimates 300 million jobs could be lost or diminished by AI. The extensive impact of AI and automation on all our livelihoods shouldn’t be underestimated.
As noted in this Forbes article, “Companies—whether they are McDonald’s, introducing self-serve kiosks and firing hourly workers to cut costs, or top-tier investment banks that rely on software instead of traders to make million-dollar bets on the stock market—will continue to implement technology and downsize people to enhance profits.”
Don’t get me wrong, innovation is important, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of the regular person’s job. Technology should be implemented to enhance our quality of life, but in the hands of Big Tech, profits will always come first and the people second.
It’s to be expected in a capitalist economy, where profit and growth take priority over the people’s well-being. But we can change it.
Big Tech’s manipulation of AI for profit amounts to a blatant theft of our collective work. It’s time for us to step up and shape a new narrative to ensure a sustainable future for humanity and our beautiful planet.
AI stands at a crossroads today. Its future remains unwritten—but we get to pick up the pen and start writing the next chapter ourselves.
For too long, tech companies have dominated technologies like AI, focusing innovation on achieving corporate interests like endless growth and efficiency. But as economist Kate Raworth's Doughnut Economics posits, humanity thrives when we meet the needs of all within the means of our planet.
What if we reframed AI through the lens of Doughnut Economics—seeking human well-being holistically while respecting environmental boundaries? This would require grassroots innovation shaped by communities, not boardrooms.
Together, we can nurture an AI renaissance that enriches lives, connects us meaningfully, and regenerates the planet we call home. One guided by the wisdom and diverse values of regular people—you and me.
Imagine AI blossoming from the ground up to enable localised economic development, education, healthcare, and more within safe ecological ceilings. Technology fused with community ingenuity to uplift humanity sustainably.
This article will spotlight inspirational projects already pioneering this new path, where AI helps communities flourish, connects us in meaningful ways, and safeguards our shared planet.
The future remains unwritten. This is our chance to participate in crafting the AI narratives, services, and policies we wish to see. We can reclaim agency in guiding technology for the common good.
We don’t have to just accept the status quo. We can choose to make a stand and pave a better way forward.
What is grassroots AI?
Most of AI development is currently dominated by Big Tech firms and government initiatives to boost corporate profits, particularly by fuelling consumer consumption. This consolidated control has led to AI systems rife with biases and blind spots that fail to reflect our diversity or address the people’s real needs.
That’s where grassroots AI comes in, to steer innovation to benefit communities rather than corporations. These pioneering groups give regular people a voice at the design table.
One inspiring example is Data for Black Lives, an activist collective developing AI to combat racism. Their workshops teach data science skills while fostering discussion on how to ethically apply tech for social justice.
Indigenous AI is another project gathering Indigenous perspectives to shape AI with traditional values in mind. This ensures technology respects the needs of diverse populations.
Digital platforms like The AI for Good Global Summit bring AI innovators and problem owners together to learn, build, and connect, to help identify practical AI solutions in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Similarly, AI for the Planet Alliance has launched a call for solutions to identify and support promising innovations in climate AI. The alliance is created by Startup Inside, with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and BCG GAMMA as knowledge partners, and in collaboration with the AI for Good Foundation; the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and the UN Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT).
The exciting potential?
AI systems infused with diverse perspectives right from the start, designed with a clear focus on solving social and environmental problems. Not commercially-driven platforms that exist primarily to benefit the world’s richest. When shaped by the community, AI can empower people to take charge of their futures while enriching local wisdom.
Now that’s an innovation spring we can all thrive in! But there’s much work to be done to get there.
Democratising AI development
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Right now, most AI technology is owned by the Tech Giants. Their opaque algorithms and data hoarding concentrate power in the hands of a few corporations.
How can we open up access and participation? Open-source AI development is one solution. When code and models are freely shared under flexible licenses, anyone can use, critique, and improve them.
Open-source development spurs decentralised innovation suited to local contexts. It allows non-profits and grassroots groups to tap into AI capabilities without reinventing the wheel or paying costly fees. Democratising development therefore unlocks new possibilities to serve community needs.
You don’t need a computer science PhD to provide valuable perspectives on developing AI either. Through participatory design, everyday people can help shape ethical and sustainable technology.
Imagine public AI design workshops or hackathons facilitating discussions on how systems should support values like sustainability, diversity, equity, inclusion, and empowerment. Our varied perspectives and life experiences make us experts in knowing what really matters.
A radical idea is establishing public “AI libraries” where communities can access and experiment with innovations for local priorities. Worker-owned businesses and non-profit organisations could borrow natural language processing (NLP) to improve operations, for example:
Chatbots to assist with customer service, interacting in natural conversation to free up worker time. The workers could collaboratively design the personality and dialogue for the chatbot to align with their values.
Machine translation of materials into multiple languages and local dialects to increase accessibility to information for rural diverse communities. This reduces the need for manual translation labour.
Text summarisation to digest long operations manuals, reports or meeting notes into concise summaries. This saves worker time and boosts efficiency.
Sentiment analysis to gather worker feedback and suggestions from open-ended surveys. This provides insight into improving organisational processes and worker satisfaction.
The idea is to leverage NLP (a branch of artificial intelligence focused on analysing and generating human language) in a way that enhances workers' abilities and gives them the opportunity and time to focus on meaningful tasks and collaboration.
Rather than displacing jobs, the technology would be designed to align with human values and augment human skills.
In another example, teachers could utilise AI tutors customised for students with different learning needs, in different languages. The possibilities are endless!
Democratising AI empowers more participatory technology governance. With open access and public guidance, we can expand who benefits from AI—and ensure it aligns with the values of those it aims to serve.
Towards inclusive AI ethics
When we think of AI ethics, we often focus on preventing harm—which is crucial. But an even more uplifting goal is using AI to enrich humanity while respecting the planet that sustains us.
This requires going beyond Big Tech’s pursuit of growth above all else. AI could help catalyse a shift to an economy that prioritises human dignity, community, and our natural world, i.e. Doughnut Economics.
What would that look like? Profits wouldn’t be the prime metric of success; instead, it would be the well-being of all of humanity and the planet. AI would be tuned to support equality, care work, creativity, and sustainability.
Grassroots innovation opens up space for more inclusive ethics where corporate universal guidelines tend to overlook the local nuances. Neighbourhood design workshops can uncover community values and needs that algorithms should embrace.
Ethics is an ongoing conversation, not a box to check. We all have contributions to make in steering technology towards care, creativity, cooperation, and community. Our diverse lived experiences make us experts in understanding what responsible innovation looks like in practice.
According to the WWF:
“Indigenous Peoples' lands and waters encompass approximately 25% of the world's land area, containing an astonishing 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity.”
Their profound knowledge of and connection to the environment make their insights and perspectives uniquely valuable in achieving global climate goals. By involving Indigenous communities in AI development, we’re baking in inclusivity while advancing sustainability efforts. It’s a win-win!
AI should be shaped to uplift, connect, and enrich humanity while allowing our planet to prosper. That’s an AI spring that will help society flourish.
There are some early grassroots initiatives that align with visions for more inclusive, ethical AI development:
The AI Now Institute conducts research and advocacy to centre ethics and inclusion in AI and seeks to address the concentration of power in the tech industry.
Groups like Data for Black Lives and Black in AI provide spaces for experts and community activists to codevelop AI free of anti-Black bias and aimed at social justice.
AI Commons—An open framework where everyone can participate, jointly share and create an abundance of knowledge to solve problems with AI.
While early stage, initiatives like these demonstrate how grassroots leadership can drive AI development that respects pluralistic values and human dignity. There are opportunities to scale this work through funding, government incentives and public participation.
Waking up to new possibilities
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When everyday people like you and me participate in guiding technology, we tap into the incredible potential for positive change.
What does that change look like through the lens of Doughnut Economics? Innovations that ensure our collective well-being by providing essential social foundations like food, education, and housing, while respecting the ecological ceilings of our planet.
Imagine AI development driven by visions of humanity thriving sustainably and equitably. Collaborative robotics working alongside community gardens to grow healthy food regeneratively. Creative AI enhancing the arts, sparking inspiration and connection. Interactive simulations teaching empathy and conflict resolution across divides.
Participatory design gives communities agency in moulding an AI spring with innovation in service of equality, inclusion, and planetary boundaries.
This people-centred technology shift will take dedication, imagination and hope. But the seeds are already being planted through groundbreaking grassroots projects.
While the road ahead is challenging, together, we can steer technology towards enriching lives holistically, embracing diversity, and safeguarding the planet.
Let's reignite technology with creativity and heart—for people, planet and shared prosperity within ecological limits. The AI spring awaits; now let's get growing!
Cultivating an AI spring of shared prosperity for all
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The future remains unwritten—and that blank page is humming with potential. We stand at a crossroads today in determining the role AI will play in society.
Will we continue down worn paths of consolidated corporate power, surveillance capitalism, and profits above all else? Or will we blaze a new trail defined by equity, sustainability, and human dignity?
The choice comes down to people like you and me. We all have a vital voice in co-creating technology that serves our communities and planet. Our diversity of lived experiences makes us experts in discerning the AI we wish to see.
By participating, whether as grassroots innovators, conscientious designers, or engaged citizens—we can help seed an AI spring guided by care, creativity, and hope.
Imagine AI woven into the social fabric, tailored to local wisdoms, enhancing the arts, connecting humanity, and enriching education sustainably. This people-first technology springs from envisioning diverse futures of possibility.
What we need now is the collective courage to plant the ideas and practices enabling technology to nourish people and planet. To transition from extractive models obsessed with growth at all costs, towards innovation that cultivates holistic well-being within ecological boundaries.
We can harness AI to bring all of humanity into the Doughnut’s sweet spot—ensuring that we all thrive alongside our beautiful planet.
The pens are in our hands—let us co-author the next uplifting chapter in humanity’s story. With care, creativity and moral imagination, we can tune AI to the frequency of community.
Now is the time to till the soil for a bountiful AI spring that enriches us all—let’s work together to sow the seeds!
A personal note
My experience co-creating content with Claude.ai
I wrote this blog post in collaboration with Claude.ai—yes, I use the term ‘collaboration’ because that’s essentially what it is.
I started with a ‘brainstorming session’ where I asked Claude: ‘Can AI help shape humanity's cultural values to be more equitable and collective rather than capitalistic?’ It generated a number of responses, out of which the following stood out:
‘AI systems are designed by humans—they reflect the values and biases of their creators. Advocating for more diverse and thoughtful teams developing AI could help inject more equitable perspectives.’
I then asked Claude to suggest a content outline for a blog post and opinion piece on 'How to Harness AI to Truly Benefit Humanity' with engaging and inspiring headline options.
Based on a refined version of my pick of the headline options, I asked Claude to modify the content outline for an engaging and thought-provoking article, written in a conversational and approachable tone. I fed Claude a series of prompts to refine the outline, and repeated the process to flesh out the actual article, telling it to incorporate specific references and examples where relevant.
I fact-checked Claude’s content and found a number of ‘hallucinations’ (fictional examples and points), which I removed from the draft. I then edited the final draft with personal insights. I also looked up and incorporated the latest AI news to add substance to the article. It took about 8 hours for me to complete the post, from start to end.
If you’re wondering whether there’s a point to this rambling, I’m coming to it!
I recently lost a long-term client whom I had worked with on a monthly basis for the last two years. Long story short, he, like so many other businesses, now uses AI for his content needs. He’s churning out articles within minutes, at a fraction of what he used to pay copywriters like me.
I get it; times are hard. But I’m doubtful as to the quality and originality of those articles. Based on personal experience, there’s absolutely no way I could generate a high-quality article using AI in anything less than a few hours.
It’s a matter of priority, of course. For me, efficiency is important but so is creating meaningful and well-researched original content. If we’re just regurgitating what’s already been said, what’s the value in that?
But quality content aside, it’s brutal that those of us who made AI possible—through our collective creative labour—are now being completely cut out of the process.
It’s not right, and we need to do our part in crafting a new narrative. One that ensures a more equitable and empowered future for all of us.
We deserve better, and it’s up to us to shape a kinder future for humanity and our beautiful planet.
What say you?
