Learnings from a Global Jam

Tuesday, 04. June 2024

Learn & connect across cultures: AI and Misinformation in 24 hours

(c) Stephan Rürup, FH Münster/Germany

Around the world, 24 hours, online and offline - that was the framework for a global jam on „AI and Misinformation“. Under the roof of TEDx, communities from Johannesburg/South Africa, Lahore/Pakistan, Lusaka/Zambia, Guatemala City, and Münster/Germany worked on a playbook that will give guidance on how to deal with AI. Kelo Kubu from Johannesburg started the fire. My role was to conceptualize and facilitate the event.

A jam provides a stable set of guiderails while giving maximum freedom to the participants. It is an excellent format for a deep dive into any topic where people need to gain clarity. Which is exactly what is required around AI topics in non-expert or partly-expert audiences. In this jam, the discussions swayed from very basic questions like „what data, exactly?“, touching on specific applications for creativity or media education, to requirements to make AI inclusive across different cultures and languages.

How did we go about

Within the 24-hour duration, we had a common opening session and closing ceremony on Zoom, while the intermediate time was spent on site in the respective community spaces, allowing participants to go into the specific aspects, and generate ideas and solutions that would work locally. Every TEDx had a different focus, and worked on different questions, in various formats - with or without shared pizzas at the end of the day. A communal Miro board was the connecting element between the teams, as everyone could see live on screen how the others were progressing, and the content was growing over time.

What did we learn

- Cultural aspects matter. The German team gained some awareness regarding concerns prevalent in the global south, starting with the obvious: AI does not cater to the 72 languages spoken in Zambia. It is not inclusive, once you leave the trodden paths of English and German. The digital divide between tech-savvy people and those who might not even own a smartphone is relevant - to name only two examples.

- Nevertheless, there are quite a few commonalities: the plea to look at opportunities instead of staring at the risks only. Or the creative joy that playing around with AI tools can give. 

- When working in intercultural environments, meeting culture is key. It is crucial to balance out the social needs of all participants and create a safe space. We obviously managed to offer a welcoming atmosphere, by inviting to connect and socialize in the virtual space and face-to-face in the local communities. Apart from that, clear orientation helps keep everyone on track, like for example easy access to tools, transparent timelines and goals, and a guide on expectations and rules of engagements.  

 

Photo credits (header): Martin Mall 

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