Community Jameel, in collaboration with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and IDinsight, has launched the AI Evidence Alliance for Social Impact (AEASI). Announced in Cape Town at the AI for Africa Conference, the GBP 2.75 million initiative aims to strengthen the evidence base for artificial intelligence (AI) applications that drive equitable social outcomes across Africa and Asia. The initiative is part of a wider USD 7.5 million collaboration with Google.org to expand research on the social effects of AI.
Evidence-Based Approach to AI for Social Good
AEASI seeks to balance AI’s transformative potential with the risks it poses to vulnerable populations. By connecting AI solution developers, policymakers, and civil society, the alliance will generate evidence on both the benefits and harms of AI technologies. The program will also identify how AI can be leveraged to improve productivity, healthcare, and climate resilience while mitigating issues like job displacement, misinformation, and systemic bias.
Global and Local Collaboration for Inclusive AI
The alliance brings together multiple global and regional stakeholders to ensure AI development remains inclusive and evidence-driven. FCDO Minister for AI and Online Safety, Kanishka Narayan, emphasized the UK’s commitment to “backing African-led innovation that puts people first, tackles real-world challenges, and builds global resilience.” Narayan highlighted that collaboration with countries such as South Africa will help make AI “safer, fairer, and more inclusive,” ensuring communities shape the technology on their own terms.
George Richards, Director of Community Jameel, echoed this sentiment, stressing that “AI has the potential to help tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges, but we need evidence of which AI solutions work effectively, safely and fairly.” He described AEASI as a platform for rigorous evaluation that will guide scaling of AI solutions proven to generate social good.
Building Evidence and Local Research Capacity
Through J-PAL’s established methodology in evidence-based policy evaluation, AEASI will support experimental studies and pilot projects that test the real-world impact of AI innovations. The initiative will strengthen local research capacity and promote African and Asian leadership in the design and evaluation of AI systems. Maggie Gorman Velez, Vice President at IDRC, underlined the need for “contextually grounded research and evidence on what works and what does not,” reaffirming IDRC’s commitment to inclusive and responsible AI development.
Iqbal Dhaliwal, Global Executive Director of J-PAL and co-leader of AEASI, noted that the alliance will “expand evidence on the impacts of AI innovations,” ensuring the technology maximizes benefits while minimizing harm. The research will inform policymakers and practitioners seeking to adopt AI solutions that enhance social outcomes without deepening inequality.
Google.org and Global Partnerships
The collaboration is also supported by Google.org, whose Head of AI for Social Good, Alex Diaz, emphasized the urgency of understanding “what works, what doesn’t, and why” when deploying AI for social impact. The USD 7.5 million partnership with Google.org reflects a growing global effort to ensure AI development aligns with human rights, fairness, and inclusivity.
A Pillar of the AI for Development Program
AEASI operates under the broader AI for Development (AI4D) program, launched by the UK and Canadian governments in 2023. The program supports safe and inclusive AI ecosystems that empower people across Africa and Asia, addressing urgent challenges such as healthcare delivery, climate adaptation, and education access. AEASI will employ a flexible, adaptive approach to translate evidence into policy actions that improve lives globally.
The launch of the AI Evidence Alliance for Social Impact marks a significant step toward shaping an AI future grounded in equity, evidence, and collaboration. By bridging research, governance, and innovation, the initiative positions Africa and Asia at the center of responsible AI deployment. Its success will depend on continued cooperation between governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector to ensure AI serves as a tool for progress rather than a driver of inequality.