In an increasingly complex global landscape, we face unprecedented challenges requiring innovative solutions. This hybrid workshop introduced participants to the emerging field of AI agents – sophisticated digital replicas that can simulate human perspectives and behaviors. It did so through three key use cases:
- Agent-based surveys that enable rapid data collection in high-risk environments
- Diplomatic simulations with realistic stakeholder replicas for enhanced negotiation preparation
- Community dialogue simulations that surface diverse perspectives and facilitate policy testing.
Through the case study report, "Ask Amina" and "Ask Abdalla" – experimental agents representing a refugee in Chad and a combatant in Sudan – participants gained insights into how these technologies might transform field operations while navigating complex ethical terrain. The workshop addressed critical questions about representation, power dynamics and data rights. Participants:
- Gained understanding of the technical foundations of agents and their potential applications
- Participated in interactive demonstrations exploring agent capabilities
- Engaged in discussions about ethical implementation
- Discussed frameworks for transparent, accountable and inclusive adoption
- Networked with peers navigating similar technological frontiers.
As international organizations seek innovative approaches to complex challenges, this workshop offered a timely exploration of AI agents as potential tools for amplifying marginalized voices, enhancing operational effectiveness and improving decision-making in humanitarian contexts.
Speakers engaged in critical examination of the technologies under discussion. Their participation should not be interpreted as endorsement of these technologies, but rather as contributing to a scholarly discourse that evaluates potential implications, limitations and considerations from multiple perspectives that are essential for responsible advancement in the field.
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