[This story is part of our collection on transforming research collaboration. It highlights efforts and challenges in reimagining partnerships for greater equity, with a focus on strengthening Southern-led approaches to research.]

InteliGente is an initiative launched in 2021 dedicated to promoting equity in Artificial Intelligence (AI) development by educating and empowering individuals to create socially impactful solutions for underserved communities, particularly in the Global South. Conducted in partnership with the AutoAI-Pandemics hub and the AI4PEP network (with the support of Canada’s International Development Research Centre and UK International Development), this project was created to tackle a major challenge: preventing the digital divide in AI development between the Global South and North. 

We are educating a new generation of young people in our region, Latin America, to develop a deep understanding of our challenges. Our focus is on fostering ethical and social awareness in the use of AI to solve our problems effectively. To date, we have educated hundreds of people and taken student-developed projects to the global stage, earning awards for Latin America that had never been won before. As a result, we are giving a voice to communities in our regions and demonstrating the importance of creating solutions that are based on our context and culture.

The missed promises of AI 

Technological advances in AI have transformed our society and economy, directly impacting people’s lives in various areas such as health, education, environment, and agriculture. Numerous fields of knowledge demonstrate how AI can accelerate scientific discoveries and innovative solutions while driving economic growth. According to PwC’s 2020 report Sizing the Prize: What’s the Real Value of AI for Your Business and How Can You Capitalise? AI could contribute up to USD 15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

Nevertheless, the development of AI has been concentrated in technologically advanced countries, overlooking the unique needs and challenges faced by less developed regions as highlighted by several multilateral organisations, such as the International Monetary Fund in a 2021 article entitled “Technological Progress, Artificial Intelligence, and Inclusive Growth” and the World Economic Forum in a 2023 article entitled “The ‘AI divide’ between the Global North and the Global South”. A 2023 book chapter written by Meng-Leong How et al. focused on leveraging AI for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also emphasised this concern. Furthermore, Oxford Insights’ 2023 assessment of AI readiness across 193 countries revealed that regions with the lowest scores include many countries in the Global South. These disparities in AI readiness risk further fueling global inequality, according to this 2023 article linked to the Portulans Institute’s Network Readiness Index.

Indeed, the rapid advancement of AI could worsen inequality and social division between the Global South and North, driven by disparities in digital infrastructure, resources, AI-trained populations, and the size of institutions or regions. 

In this context, the term “AI for All” becomes a fragile promise as we face numerous challenges often underestimated by wealthier economies. For us, “AI for All” implies empowering each individual, community, or society to contribute according to their aptitude, availability, dedication, and pace, ensuring equal opportunities worldwide. As highlighted by the World Economic Forum in the article cited above, promoting local education is one of the key strategies to achieve equity in the use of AI. Based on this, we founded the InteliGente initiative, which empowers students to develop and apply AI solutions with social impact.

What makes InteliGente different? 

Most initiatives focused on general AI education emphasise technical skills and theoretical knowledge. In contrast, InteliGente aims to teach students to identify challenges within their communities that can be addressed using AI. Rather than just providing theoretical and practical concepts, we guide students in developing solutions that are adapted to their specific context and culture. As a result, we foster a socially conscious mindset that is often overlooked in traditional programmes. Our goal is to ensure that anyone, regardless of their background, can harness the power of AI to drive meaningful social impact.

Our target audience primarily includes young students (and, currently, educators) who face unique challenges due to their location, especially in underserved communities. Our main innovation lies in the integration of active learning methodologies with a focus on AI, using a problem-based learning approach, where students are challenged to develop AI solutions for real problems, promoting practical learning. 

Unlike traditional materials, our approach emphasises ethical and social discussions about AI. A great example is InteliGenteCards, which are designed to be both educational and engaging. They encourage participants to critically explore and discuss the societal implications of AI.

Our methodology also recognises the unique perspectives that each student experiences in their community, which is crucial to designing AI solutions that are ethical, effective, and culturally sensitive, providing an environment with great potential to solve challenges for different populations. Through our methodology, we aim to cultivate the next generation of visionary leaders from the Global South, with a particular focus on Latin America, who can transform the way AI research and development is approached and conducted globally, fostering innovation that reflects the diverse needs and perspectives of underserved regions.

Therefore, we not only equip these leaders with technical skills but also foster a deep understanding of the ethical and social challenges of using AI within their local contexts. By doing so, we amplify the voices of different communities, fostering greater representation while contributing to the development of regulations that are better tailored to our realities—realities that are largely shaped based on the Global North. 

We are also targeting educators: for example, we are conducting a study for which we surveyed hundreds of primary and secondary school teachers in Brazil to understand the challenges they face when integrating AI into their classrooms. This type of research helps us develop solutions aligned with educators’ needs, ensuring that AI is not just another technological trend, but a practical and accessible tool that enhances learning while respecting the realities of each school and community. 

Our impact is already substantial: we have reached over 300,000 people directly and indirectly. This direct impact is calculated based on empowered students, access to solutions and materials, and events, while the indirect impact considers the audience reached through awards and media features. Our students have won more than 20 awards and recognitions, and over 2,500 people have been educated using our materials. Additionally, our students have been featured in over 50 news articles.  

Towards transforming the AI education landscape in the Global South 

Our project has demonstrated that, even without funding, young people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives can lead innovative AI initiatives when given the right tools and opportunities. We have proven that it is possible to innovate and create impactful solutions even without the resources and privileges of major research hubs. However, scaling this impact requires more than just isolated success stories—it demands systemic change. 

Despite the promising results of our initiative, the reality is that we are still an outlier in the AI education landscape in the Global South because we challenge the traditional logic of AI development. While well-established institutions and renowned AI research labs benefit from investment, aspiring innovators in Latin America, Africa, and parts of Asia struggle to secure even the most basic resources needed to develop their ideas, as we experienced ourselves. This gap not only stifles local innovation but also drives many of our brightest minds to seek opportunities in the Global North, further deepening the brain drain phenomenon aptly described in this 2024 book chapter written by Anushka Lydia Issac and Smita Tripathi, and reinforcing global inequalities in AI development.

Moreover, even within the Global South, current funding models tend to favour larger institutions and well-established researchers, raising the question: How can we cultivate young leaders from underserved communities if we do not invest in them? If we are committed to democratising AI and fostering inclusive innovation, we must rethink how we identify, support, and empower emerging leaders in the Global South. 

In our view, to transform the AI landscape in the Global South and create an equitable system, we must: 

(1) Increase funding for young innovators to encourage them to tackle problems within their communities, as early-career funding opportunities are currently lacking in our region; 

(2) Move beyond traditional evaluation metrics and develop funding mechanisms that recognise potential over prestige, ensuring that the next generation of AI leaders can emerge—regardless of their starting point; 

(3) Establish sustainable mentorship networks, ensuring that young leaders are empowered to think outside the box and solve real-world challenges—not just replicate pre-existing ideas from their mentors. They must be allowed to identify the needs of their context and amplify their voices.

Finally, it is essential to highlight that educating and encouraging young leaders is just the beginning of transforming our landscape; we must also amplify the voices of underserved communities. Each region, society, and community has its unique context, and impactful, ethical, and socially responsible solutions can only be created by listening to and understanding their needs through leadership development.

[Explore other stories from our collection on transforming research collaboration and engage with ideas envisioning a more equitable future for research. ]

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