Ben Garfinkel on AI Governance

Abstract

The Innovation in Government Initiative (IGI) helps low- and middle-income countries implement evidence-based policies to improve the lives of people living in extreme poverty. By evaluating policy projects and partnering with governments, IGI supports cost-effective solutions such as cash transfers, education reforms, and labor law overhauls. IGI has a track record of scaling up successful policies, such as India’s social protection program and Zambia’s educational reform, with estimates suggesting its cost-effectiveness is roughly three times that of direct cash transfers. However, there are open questions regarding the sustainability of IGI’s success rate and potential impacts of global events like COVID-19 and geopolitical conflicts. – AI-generated abstract.