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Digital Sisters AI for Good report: Understanding AI literacy and digital inclusion

Good Things Australia, in collaboration with Microsoft and Telstra, is proud to present the research and consultation findings as part of our pioneering digital inclusion project, Digital Sisters: AI for Good.

Good Things Australia have today released a brand new research report ‘Understand AI literacy and digital inclusion: How we can use AI for Good’.

The report is the result of significant consultation and research, and is part of the Digital Sisters: AI for Good program supporting refugee and migrant women to build their understanding and use of AI, run by Good Things in collaboration with Microsoft and Telstra. 

This research is critical to our mission of closing the digital divide so no one is left behind. The Digital Sisters: AI for Good initiative includes creating inclusive learning materials and supporting 20 network partners and their Digital Mentors to support hundreds of women in their community to keep up with emerging technology. 

To be able to deliver this AI literacy support with relevant learning resources and support materials, we first needed to better understand AI, AI literacy and the intersection between AI literacy and digital inclusion. We also needed to comprehend current levels of understanding and confidence using emerging technology, what people want to learn about AI, and the main formats and platforms they prefer to use.

The Good Things team conducted the research leading to this report in late 2023 and the first half of 2024. Research included surveying our network of community partners and consultations involving over 56 organisations and individuals from various sectors, such as government, academia, technology and social impact sectors. Women who will be learning about AI literacy as participants in our Digital Sisters program were also engaged to hear their first hand perspectives.

Our insights were further refined during a cross-sector roundtable held in early May, bringing together representatives from these varying stakeholders.

Some of the key findings from the ‘Understanding AI literacy and digital inclusion: How we can use AI for good’ report include:

  • Barriers to AI engagement mirror those faced by people who are digitally excluded, including low digital ability, affordability, access to technology, and regional disparities.
  • AI literacy was widely understood as having the skills and knowledge to effectively, responsibly and safely use AI tools and is made up of intersecting literacies including digital, data, information, and language literacy.
  • Ethical concerns around AI development, included online harm, data privacy, and bias in existing tools.
  • There is a general lack of awareness about AI among migrant and refugee women, despite its daily use.
  • A person needs to have basic digital and literacy skills to use AI powered tools and devices, although AI tools can help to overcome some barriers to technology use.

See infographic transcript for alt text

How we can use AI for Good. Understanding AI literacy and digital inclusion.

Shared a vision of AI being used for good.

AI can be a powerful tool for inclusion:

  • increase services to community
  • create opportunities for people
  • make workplaces more effective
  • support us to solve big problems

Key benefits of AI:

  • Translation
  • Voice to text
  • Accessing information
  • Removing communication barrier
  • Personalised content

Key risks of AI:

  • Unethical AI practices
  • Loss of jobs
  • Digital divide increased
  • Increased harm and scams

Community organisations told us:

  • 60% that nobody in their communities is asking about AI
  • 71% that it’s important for their community to learn about AI
  • 42% that they feel unsure about AI

What do people want to learn about AI:

  • Where AI is used
  • How can we use AI
  • What is AI
  • AI online safety
  • How it works
  • Is AI info correct?

Read the media release about the report launch and partnership with Telstra and Microsoft to support refugee and migrant women feeling safer and confident using new AI technologies.

Download the report

We have a four-page report snapshot you can download to check the main findings and report details.  Download the report snapshot

You can also read and download the full report to learn about the consultation process, findings, recommendations, and more. Download the full report

What is next

The consultation process was the first phase of the Digital Sisters AI for Good program.

With insights from our research, we have started working on different resources to be used for our 20 partner organisations taking part in the Digital Sisters AI for Good program and to be shared with our broader network of community organisations around Australia.

We have also started the Digital Mentors training so 40 mentors are now ready to start supporting women in their communities, using our resources and others that we have been collecting for them.

Check out some of the Digital Sisters AI for good resources.

The AI for Good program is part of our Digital Sisters programs to support women who are migrants or refugees, in feeling more confident and safer online. Read more about our other Digital Sisters programs.

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