From job placement to disaster relief, McKinsey is leveraging AI for social good

AI’s expanding role in social impact: The application of artificial intelligence to address global challenges has seen significant growth, with a threefold increase in AI use cases aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals since 2018.

• Over 600 AI solutions now target social and environmental issues, with 82% already deployed, showcasing rapid innovation and adoption in this field.
• McKinsey, through its QuantumBlack AI division, has been at the forefront of developing AI solutions for job placement and disaster relief efforts.

Revolutionizing job placement with AI: McKinsey’s Generation initiative has leveraged AI to streamline the job matching process for program graduates, improving efficiency and career outcomes.

• Generation, an independent nonprofit launched by McKinsey in 2015, operates in 17 countries and has trained over 120,000 graduates for careers they might not otherwise access.
• The AI-enabled tool developed by McKinsey automates the job-matching process, reducing the time staff spend on manual searches and allowing more focus on learner support.
• The tool uses a comprehensive taxonomy of skills to match learners’ profiles with job vacancies, providing graduates with a list of relevant openings.

Responsible AI implementation: McKinsey’s approach to AI development for Generation emphasizes ethical considerations and regulatory compliance.

• The team addressed potential risks related to fairness, data privacy, and intellectual property infringement.
• The solution ensures compliance with global data regulations, including GDPR.
• Successful pilots in the UK and Mexico have paved the way for a global rollout planned for January 2025.

Enhancing disaster relief with data-driven solutions: McKinsey has partnered with other organizations to establish DISHA, an initiative aimed at improving disaster response through AI and data analysis.

• DISHA, led by the UN Secretary General’s Office of Innovation, brings together McKinsey, Google, the Jain Family Institute, and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.
• McKinsey’s QuantumBlack provides strategic and technical expertise, supporting the UN in developing and implementing AI solutions for disaster relief.

Innovative disaster response tools: DISHA has developed two key solutions to make natural disaster responses faster and more targeted.

• A damage assessment tool uses machine learning and satellite image analysis to map building and infrastructure damage, increasing the area analyzed by seven times and reducing assessment time to less than a day.
• A socio-economic mapping solution utilizes real-time mobile phone data to track population movements and identify areas most in need of support, replacing outdated census and survey methods.

Real-world impact and future potential: The AI solutions developed through these initiatives are already showing promising results and have the potential for significant global impact.

• The job placement tool is set to be implemented across all 17 countries where Generation operates, potentially improving career prospects for thousands of graduates.
• The disaster relief tools are active in the Philippines, helping to manage responses to frequent typhoons affecting thousands of villages.

Collaborative approach to AI for social good: McKinsey’s initiatives emphasize the importance of partnerships and responsible AI practices in addressing global challenges.

• DISHA’s approach unites diverse partners to share data, build trust, and create digital public goods for humanitarian purposes.
• The projects are developing new frameworks for collaboration between public, private, and non-governmental organizations, setting standards for responsible AI use in social impact initiatives.

Looking ahead: The future of AI in social impact: As these AI solutions continue to evolve and expand, they have the potential to transform how we address global challenges and create positive social change.

• The success of these initiatives may inspire more organizations to explore AI applications for social good, potentially leading to a new wave of technological innovation in humanitarian and social sectors.
• The emphasis on responsible AI practices and collaborative approaches could set important precedents for future developments in this field, ensuring that AI technologies are deployed ethically and effectively in pursuit of social impact goals.