AI for Good: History, Open Data and Some ESG-based Applications

This paper investigates the notion of artificial intelligence (AI) for good. As part of that analysis, this paper reviews what is meant by AI for Good, and traces some of the history associated with the term. The paper also briefly reviews open data and the integration of open data, AI for text mining and large language models. That analysis helps to use AI in some applications based on environment, social and governance issues (ESG). As part of that analysis, we drill down on three applications illustrating some approaches to AI for Good, (i) examining development of a carbon pollution dictionary, (ii) building an interface to 311 open data to improving communication with citizens and (iii) using AI to facilitate monitoring of government purchases. In so doing, we also generate some methodological approaches to addressing those issues and stress an important link between organisations’ open data and newly emerging AI capabilities.