Inclusive science communication of research project AI FORA: A fantasy novel about using AI for public social service provision

https://media.springernature.com/full/springer-static/cover-hires/book/978-3-031-60401-0?as=webp

Publication

Petra Ahrweiler
Angels and Other Cows
A Celestial Adventure into AI Worlds, the Social Good, and Unknown Connections
Springer Nature Switzerland, Juni 2024
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-60401-0

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-60401-0

About

Public administrations are increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to decide on the provision of public social services such as unemployment benefits, pension entitlements, kindergarten places and social assistance to their citizens, hoping to achieve greater efficiency and objectivity.

Data profiles of citizens are analysed and assessed, and profiles automatically checked and scored to determine whether their owners are eligible to receive support from the state. However, AI-based social assessment systems, because they are based on machine learning from historical data, are accused of perpetuating bias and discrimination, often to the detriment of the most vulnerable groups in society.

Furthermore, who is considered as eligible, needy and deserving to be a beneficiary will always imply decisions that privilege certain groups while discriminating against others. Criteria vary widely around the world. There is no approach to social assessment that would be perceived as fair everywhere. Fairness concepts vary across national welfare systems depending on culture, religious tradition, and belief system.

Investigating the status quo and future options of AI implementations in this area, the goal of the international research project “Artificial Intelligence for Assessment” (AI FORA) is to create “Better AI” via participation of multiple societal stakeholders including vulnerable groups. The project employs a cultural comparison of Germany, Estonia, Spain, India, China, Nigeria, Ukraine, Iran, and USA to analyse how AI can contribute to more social justice.

The question of social assessment, i.e., who gets what from the state, concerns everybody, whether a policymaker hoping for efficiency and objectivity in allocation, a recipient hoping for support and wellbeing, a service provider, a taxpayer, or a member of a vulnerable group. Whether the introduction of AI into social assessment makes things better or worse is of interest to everyone and makes everyone a potential stakeholder in determining the design of social assessment innovations.

However, people are in very different positions to appreciate scientific achievements. How could the proverbial ‘people in the street’ become aware of AI FORA’s research? Research is often only available to experts, shaped by their interests, and framed by their language.
This acts as a threshold, particularly excluding the general public. Hence, science communication requires inclusive formats that are accessible to non-scientific audiences.

One suggestion how to do this was to break out of the silos of academia by switching media. “Angels and other Cows” (Ahrweiler 2024) - the AI FORA novel in literary fiction blending genres such as sci-fi, romance, adventure, mystery and comedy - took the task of inclusive science communication making available research topics, results and consequences of AI use in the public sector to a broad readership for attracting also non-scientists to academic research.

The fictional story of the open access novel introduces, reflects and discusses main epistemological, sociological and technical concepts of the research area. Hidden in a travel story around fictional cases in Spain, Estonia, Germany, India, China and USA, a plot deals with the deep questions of AI FORA:

• How does social assessment work?
• How is it used in welfare decisions?
• How is AI work used?
• What role play cultural values?
• What about bias and discrimination?
• Is AI the crown of socio-technical evolution?
• Is there an alternative to AI?
• What are the risks, limitations and barriers of AI?
• Why is it important to get involved in AI?
• What would be needed to create “better AI”?
• What can I do myself?

The readers are invited for feedback. It is still open whether they want to see ‘the science behind’: The novel, which is also made available as graphic novel for visual experience on social media, precedes the two scientific publications of AI FORA and is published in the same series ‘Artificial Intelligence, Simulation and Society’.

The story

The story of “Angels and Other Cows” unfolds both in heaven and on earth. The
real-world part narrates the adventure of Gabriel and Tilda, who work for an inter-
national aid company called B1. Their mission is to recruit case study partners for a
project on AI-based social assessment. Collaborating with partners from diverse
countries and societal backgrounds, they delve into the impact of values and culture
on social assessment, highlighting issues of bias and discrimination in different
systems that categorise humans for the purpose of receiving social welfare. The
novel terms this autoethnographic learning. Gabriel and Tilda grapple with defining
their own relationship, which is fraught with bias, mutual assessments, generational
power struggles and milieu-specific world-view clashes.

Their personal journey is intertwined with a global plea for unity in a world
marked by dystopian conditions, such as limited public resources, economic crises
and disparities in life opportunities across different countries. The world seems
divided into antagonistic societies with unique religious and sociocultural belief sys-
tems that perpetuate social injustice. The reader gains a comprehensive understand-
ing of these complex themes and embarks on a quest with Gabriel and Tilda to
explore whether AI can exacerbate or alleviate these issues. Readers also gain insights into AI and its workings, building a rudimentary understanding of machine learning for AI-based social assessment. Furthermore, they discover the potential benefits and risks, as well as the importance, of involving society in designing technology.

The celestial part of the story is dedicated to reflection. As Gabriel and Tilda
grapple with their intellectual and emotional connection, they are aided by two
guardian angels, GA and TA, tasked with saving the planet through interpersonal
and intercultural integration. These angels mirror their protégés’ struggles and pro-
vide comic relief, reminiscent of characters Statler and Waldorf from The Muppet
Show. The “voice of wisdom” is represented by English Benedictine monk Bede
Griffiths, who enthusiastically supports Tilda and Gabriel in their unlikely love story. On this level, the novel introduces, discusses and negotiates the philosophical and ethical questions.

„Angels and Other Cows” is the introductory novel of a series on AI FORA consisting of four open access books published by Springer Nature. Two academic books about scientific results will follow concluded by another novel which will evaluate the overall project.

AI FORA is funded by German Volkswagen Foundation under its programme „Artificial Intelligence and the Society of the Future“. Additional funding of 36.000 EUR was awarded to coordinating TISSS Lab for the concept of inclusive science communication.

The book „Angels and Other Cows. A Celestial Adventure into AI Worlds, the Social Good, and Unknown Connections” has been published in July 2024 and is available in open access.

Please note the Preface of the novel (section after Prologue / Contents table), which explains where the novel stands in the publication process of the project.

This is the official Springer link:

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-60401-0

You can download the open access book for free from this link or order a printed book from the webpage. Of course, the book is also available in all bookshops, and on all platforms such as Amazon etc.