Artificial Intelligence and Community Well-being: A Proposal for an Emerging Area of Research

Laura Musikanski1 & Bogdana Rakova2 & James Bradbury1 & Rhonda Phillips3 & Margaret Manson4

Received: 25 June 2019/Accepted: 17 December 2019/ # Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

Abstract We are calling for a new area of research on the nexus of community well-being and artificial intelligence (AI). Three components of this research we propose are (1) the development and use of well-being metrics to measure the impacts of AI; (2) the use of community-based approaches in the development of AI; and (3) development of AI interventions to safeguard or improve community well-being. After providing definitions of community, well-being, and community well-being, we suggest a definition of AI for use by community well-being researchers, with brief explanations of types and uses of AI within this context. A brief summary of threats and opportunities facing community well-being for which AI could potentially present solutions or exacerbate problems is provided. The three components we propose are then discussed, followed by our call for cross-sector, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and systems-based approaches for the formation of this proposed area of research.

ArtificialIntelligenceAndCommu.pdf