While acknowledging the important role that artificial intelligence can play in improving early warning systems, emergency response and health care during the crisis, humanitarian experts and officials in adopting AI to better meet the fundamental principles of high equity and empathy have advocated for better meeting the heart of their work.
Such an approach requires vigilance against algorithm bias, increased access to technology in developing countries, and stronger safeguards to protect personal privacy, they said.
“AI should not be a cold alternative to human compassion. Rather than increasing the ability to understand the unique stories, aspirations, fears and strengths of the people we serve,” he said.
“We must resist the temptation to outsource judgments to algorithms. Humanitarians, not machines, must remain the ultimate arbitrators of needs, priorities and support,” she added. “This requires investment in internal expertise, ethical reviews and decision-making safeguards.
Forbes and other experts expressed observations at the 4th Skou International Humanitarian Forum, held jointly by the Chinese Red Cross Association in Suzhou, China and Skou University.
Experts said that artificial intelligence, when used smartly and ethically, can serve as a humanistic cause of preventing, alleviating human suffering and protecting life and health.
Forbes cited an example of an AI-enabled early warning system in which IFRC plays a key role and can provide advanced alerts for tropical cyclones and flash floods in India, Fiji, Kenya and other pilot countries. In Ethiopia's disastrous Dawa, flood risk mapping has helped identify vulnerable areas since 2023.
“Predictive models now predict displacement patterns and disease outbreaks, enable early intervention and potentially save lives,” she said.
According to the Chinese Red Cross Association, AI-powered analytics and machine learning have resulted in an exponential increase in the efficiency of humanitarian rescue operations after natural disasters.
“AI is deployed to assess the needs of disaster-affected regions, assess transportation conditions and monitor supply inventory levels, enabling optimized resource allocation and rapid delivery of supply to those with the most urgent need.”
Practical use
Additionally, the Chinese Red Cross is working with technology companies to develop a digital mapping system for automated external defibrillators, which will be used in several cities to save patients suffering from cardiac arrest.
The system provides real-time information on device availability and optimal routes for accessing lifesaving devices.
The Chinese Red Cross emphasized that AI-driven remote and smart diagnostic tools have significantly improved accessibility of healthcare in remote locations, allowing residents to receive standardized testing and professional consultations from key physicians in major well-known hospitals.
Baltasar Steherin, a personal envoy to the chairman of the International Red Cross Committee, and the head of the East Asian Regional Delegation, said that the organization works primarily in areas affected by armed conflict, and is being used, along with artificial intelligence and satellite imagery, to map population movements, water points and transport situations.
“AI can also calculate the probability of incomplete data sets (of missing people) and allow them to be much faster to find them,” he said, adding that combining drones with AI also shows the possibility of more efficient differentiation.
“When AI technology is used ethically and wisely (for humanitarian behavior), its advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages. However, when it is used irresponsibly and irresponsibly, it can do a lot of damage,” he said.
Staehelin's notable concern is the protection of personal data, and is an issue that is related to not only AI but also digital technology in general.
“We have an important responsibility when collecting and managing personal data,” he said. “For impersonal data, we need to be very careful and make sure that those datasets are unbiased. Biased data means that they do not reflect reality and meet the specific needs of the actual situation.”
Forbes of IFRC said that the central humanitarian principles of fairness are being challenged in the AI age by algorithmic bias.
“AI systems are just as good as the underlying design and learning data. As we know, humanitarian data is often incomplete, inconsistent and historically biased. When these flaws are untested, AI can unintentionally reinforce the very inequality we strive to deal with,” she said.
She advocated strict audits, comprehensive design, diverse datasets, and human surveillance to detect potential geopolitical or commercial impacts within AI systems.
The Chinese Red Cross said that a strict ethical review mechanism must be established to ensure fairness and inclusiveness of AI systems.
Humanitarian organisations in developing countries face significant challenges in deploying AI tools due to gaps that could deepen financial constraints, digital disparities and impede critical early warning and emergency rescue operations in those regions.
The chairman of China's Red Cross called for the establishment of a platform to integrate the humanitarian technology that powered AI.
“The Chinese Red Cross is willing to work with the international community to create a more equitable, more resilient global system of humanitarian action,” he said.
wangxiaoyu@chinadaly.com.cn
