17. Circulation of knowledge and know-how on big data and artificial intelligence in the global South
Henry Chavez, CEPED/IRD; María Belén Albornoz, FLACSO Latin American Social Studies Faculty; Bárbara Magalhães, Universidad de Chile
Posted: February 28, 2022 Accepted Languages: English/Inglés/Inglês, Spanish/Español/Espanhol, Portuguese/Portugués
For two decades, the countries of the Global South have been trying to surf the wave of the “digital revolution” based on the production of large databases and the development of artificial intelligence technologies. Torn between the opportunities to improve the quality of life of citizens and the new risks and threats to security, privacy, freedom and democracy, these countries face the challenge of developing knowledge, skills and competencies to properly take advantage of these new technologies. This has led public and private actors to accept the technological solutions offered by the transnational companies of the digital economy, without taking the time to reflect on the economic, political, institutional and cultural transformations that they can produce. These turnkey solutions are creating a strong knowledge dependency and increasing the digital divide between countries in the North and the South. In this context, we invite the submission of papers that explore and discuss the new socio-technical arrangements that are being imposed in the countries of the South around big data and artificial intelligence technologies. We are interested in discussing how these technologies are applied in institutions or projects in the global South? Which actors are involved? What knowledge and know-how circulate and is mobilized between the North-South and between the academic world, the public sector and private companies? What role do digital transnational corporations play in the deployment of these technologies in the South? What role does civil society play?
