Ignacio Rodríguez Carreño, awarded for his research on AI to reduce social inequalities

The data Science and Artificial Intelligence Institute (DATAI) of the University of Navarra has awarded the research of Ignacio Rodríguez Carreño, professor at the School of Economics, for his study on the use of artificial intelligence to analyze the perception of social inequality from satellite images.

The study, published in the journal Nature and co-authored with Ángela Abascal Imízcoz (researcher at the time at the Navarra Center for International Development and currently at the Public University of Navarra on a Juan de la Cierva contract) and other experts from the Free University of Brussels, Karlstad and Twente, combines citizen science, Earth observation and AI models to identify urban patterns associated with poverty in slums in Nairobi, Kenya. Using deep learning, the researchers were able to predict how citizens perceive the lack of resources in their communities, facilitating the design of more effective interventions.

For this contribution to the application of artificial intelligence in the fight against inequality, Rodriguez has received one of the DATAI Awards, endowed with 1,500 euros. These awards highlight research with social impact and promote advances in data science applied to improving the quality of life.

AI to understand the perception of inequality

Under the degree scroll "AI perceives like a local: predicting citizen deprivation perception using satellite imagery", the work demonstrates that it is possible to predict with AI techniques and satellite imagery the subjective perception of poverty of the local population in deprived urban areas of Nairobi. Its methodology could be applied in other cities to improve urban planning and social policies.

This recognition reinforces the commitment of the University of Navarra to innovation and the social impact of data science.