Thanks to the advancements of AI, activists can now use this technology to help them with spreading messages and reaching a broader audience, fact-checking content, supporting fundraising efforts and even predicting political events. In this article, we will delve into how AI can help with activism efforts and how to best use it for that purpose. But before diving into it, let’s check how AI has impacted another field: romantic relationships.
How to design your own AI girlfriend
AI is redefining the meaning of “companionship”, with plenty of platforms allowing users to design their dream AI companion. One of those platforms is Lovescape, where you can create your AI girlfriend by selecting her personality and physical traits. It’s like having the dream person you’ve always fantasized about, in virtual form.
What makes these types of sites so popular is that users enjoy attention 24/7. They find a virtual companion who’s always available for them, ready to listen, laugh, and talk about everything and anything. Moreover, for those with social anxiety or who are more on the introverted side of things, it’s a great tool to vent and even practice their social skills in a safe and non-judgmental space.
How activists can use AI for their social advocacy efforts
As we’ve already seen, one of the uses of AI in activism is weeding out fake news. There are specific AI tools that track and analyze all the content posted by the media, thus detecting which ones are truthful and which ones contain misinformation.
Another implementation would be amplifying one’s reach on social media. With AI, activists can spread their message across and reach a broader audience. With specific AI tools, they can also segment their audience and see how they react to news (kind of like having an analytics dashboard). That’s how some organizations like Greenpeace build engagement. They use AI-powered tools and platforms to segment their traffic, send tailored communication, and organize different campaigns upon location of those supporters.
When it comes to repression, AI also comes in handy, as it can be used for protection. Some activists advocating for democracy may sometimes be the target of cyber-attacks, and with AI, they can protect their data and online identity.
AI for activism best practices
Like with everything else, AI doesn’t work as a competitor, but rather a collaborator. As such, activists must ensure that they still interact directly with their supporters. AI cannot replace direct interactions between the organizations and the different communities. Keeping a human-centered approach is key.
Furthermore, safeguarding sensitive data should be a priority for organizations. That’s why when using different AI tools, they must check thoroughly what data they will access and how they will process it.
And last but not least, AI-driven solutions might contain cultural biases depending on where they were developed. For this reason, organizations must pay attention to this and work towards creating inclusive results.
