The International Journal of Community Well-Being is publishing a special issue regarding artificial intelligence and well-being as related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The intent of the special issue is to inform, inspire, and aid researchers, academics, policy makers, and activists in understanding the scope of implications of AI for community well-being. The issue is free to the public to download until the end of the year, after which it will be available for purchase.
The articles are arranged according to three areas: measurement frameworks, community engagement in AI development, and AI’s role in the protection of community well-being.
One of the articles, “Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Community Well-Being,” was authored by researchers from Purdue, along with experts from Google and Facebook. It explores a number of AI applications – ranging from caregiving to impacts on Indigenous communities to land and urban development.
“Community well-being is an interdisciplinary concept that scholars and practitioners use to explore and operationalize varying factors that contribute to our liking, feeling safe and taking pride in our communities. Community well-being explores the collective aspects of neighborhoods, towns, and cities, as well as the extent to which individual well-being connects to broader societal considerations,” says Jason Ware, clinical assistant professor at Purdue, where he teaches well-being courses.
The issue also calls on all companies and organizations using or developing AI to allocate their resources towards the development of AI to help solve the challenges facing humans and our community well-being now and for future generations.
The issue will be released in mid-December, and is accessible at the journal webpage.