Técnicas Rudas from Mexico and Diversa Studio from Ecuador are part of our Feminist AI Cohort Four.
Técnicas Rudas, a social enterprise, aims to contribute to social movements and human rights defense through technology, strategic research, project development and institutional strengthening and uses an approach that integrates an intersectional gender lens and prioritizes grassroots initiatives. Diversa Studio is committed to creating AI solutions that align with human needs and values, prioritizing social and ethical considerations at every step of the development process.
Working in collaboration, Diversa Studio leads the development of all the technical analysis of AI as well as data analysis while Técnicas Rudas guides the workshops and field engagement with the Yaqui community and across Sonora territories.
During this the Cohort Four cycle, Técnicas Rudas and Diversa Studio will make use of the field data generated during the first phase of the research conducted during Cohort Three, which included a document based investigation that was the basis of their paper “Indigenous Natural Resources Governance: Indigenous rights, water conservation & AI Exploring active participation of the Yaqui community in water resource management”.
The information obtained allowed a preliminary model incorporating qualitative and quantitative data on the importance of water in the community and forms of management to be generated, in addition to revealing crucial environmental information that unveiled challenges inherent to water management in Mexico.
The methodology and amassed images, audios, satellite and analyses will serve as a foundational resource for devising strategies and policies that advocate for sustainable water management while upholding the traditions and values of indigenous communities.
Additionally, the prototype, an interactive dashboard, will incorporate the legal framework for water use in Mexico, and shall also include other environmental data such as: rainfall; surface and groundwater flow modeling; indicators and KPIs; and demographic data.
Técnicas Rudas and Diversa Studio’s methodology is decolonial, and foregrounded by a commitment to maintain collaboration among all stakeholders as pivotal for the well-being of both the community and the nation at large. The team will be returning to the community the results obtained, and will engage in collaborative workshops to fortify the prototype model and further develop it while continuing the dialogue on ethical use of artificial intelligence for water management.