Photo caption: IRC Copilot – created by Meheret Takele Mandefro using Copilot
The main findings and recommendations from my internship at IRC, where I explored the use and potential of AI in IRC's business processes
Published on: 29/08/2024
My internship at IRC began with a deep dive into the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in business processes and workflows. AI is a rapidly evolving and expanding field that has the potential to transform various sectors, including the development and WASH sectors. In this blog post, I share some of the main tasks I carried out during my internship at IRC, where I researched AI's integration in IRC's business processes and workflows, and developed custom chatbots.
AI is a machine-based system designed to imitate intelligent human thinking and use data to make predictions and automate decision making. AI can offer substantial benefits for organisations like IRC, such as:
However, AI also poses some risks and challenges, such as data privacy and security, bias and misrepresentation, validation problems, and environmental data privacy and security, bias and misrepresentation, validation problems, and environmental impact. Therefore, it is important to implement and use AI responsibly and ethically, following guidelines and regulations (such as the new European Artificial Intelligence Act), and assessing the impact and suitability of each AI tool.
During my internship, I carried out several tasks to explore AI's potential for IRC, which include:
Fig. 1: Testers views on the use of Copilot
Fig. 2: Time savings of testers using Copilot
Fig. 3. Quality enhancement experienced by testers using Copilot
From the research, I argued that AI has great potential to improve IRC's work and impact. I concluded that IRC should strategically incorporate AI into its business processes to enhance productivity and workflow quality, and to keep up with the advancements and applications of AI in the WASH and development sectors. I also made the following specific recommendations:
The internship was a forge where my skills were tempered and honed. AI was no longer a mere concept but a tool that I wielded with increasing finesse. Chatbot development emerged as a canvas for my creativity, while Power BI analysis became the lens through which I discerned patterns and insights from the data. The knowledge I amassed was not just theoretical; it was practical, applicable, and powerful. It was a transformative process that saw me evolve from an intern to a practitioner of AI.
The time I spent on the project far exceeded the official internship hours, but the return was immeasurable. I have emerged as an expert and equipped with the knowledge and experience to make a significant impact in the field. This internship was more than a learning experience; it was a transformative journey that has set the stage for my future endeavours in AI, data analysis and beyond.
I would like to thank the following people:
At IRC we have strong opinions and we value honest and frank discussion, so you won't be surprised to hear that not all the opinions on this site represent our official policy.
