Between Hype and Harm: Learnings from Global South experiences of using AI in Evaluation
Panel Discussion | Online
-
Organized by:
EvalYouth Bangladesh
- In partnership with: Gender and Equity Network South Asia (GENSA)
About the Event
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used across the evaluation cycle from transcription and translation to qualitative analysis and reporting, promising efficiency while raising ethical, methodological, and trust-related concerns. These tensions are particularly pronounced in Global South contexts, where evaluations often take place in low-connectivity, fragile, or politically sensitive environments.
This panel brings together evaluators from South Asia and other Global South contexts to share practical, experience-based learnings on using AI responsibly in evaluation practice. Rather than advocating uncritical adoption or outright rejection, the discussion focuses on real-world dilemmas: fear of scrutiny for using AI, lack of institutional guidance, ethical grey areas, and risks to data quality, confidentiality, and community trust.
Panelists will present concrete examples of AI use across data management, qualitative analysis, sensemaking, and reporting, highlighting where AI-supported rigor and where human judgment were essential to avoid bias or misinterpretation, particularly in humanitarian, governance, gender, and refugee response evaluations.
Grounded in core evaluation principles such as validity, transparency, informed consent, and contextual sensitivity, the session also examines how power, gender, and inclusion shape AI impacts. Through audience interaction, participants will co-develop a practical AI in an Evaluation Decision Tree to help distinguish tasks suitable for AI support from those requiring human judgment.
This panel brings together evaluators from South Asia and other Global South contexts to share practical, experience-based learnings on using AI responsibly in evaluation practice. Rather than advocating uncritical adoption or outright rejection, the discussion focuses on real-world dilemmas: fear of scrutiny for using AI, lack of institutional guidance, ethical grey areas, and risks to data quality, confidentiality, and community trust.
Panelists will present concrete examples of AI use across data management, qualitative analysis, sensemaking, and reporting, highlighting where AI-supported rigor and where human judgment were essential to avoid bias or misinterpretation, particularly in humanitarian, governance, gender, and refugee response evaluations.
Grounded in core evaluation principles such as validity, transparency, informed consent, and contextual sensitivity, the session also examines how power, gender, and inclusion shape AI impacts. Through audience interaction, participants will co-develop a practical AI in an Evaluation Decision Tree to help distinguish tasks suitable for AI support from those requiring human judgment.
Speakers
| Name | Title | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| MD.SAMSUL HUSSAIN SADI | MEAL Professional, Founder & Co-Leader-EvalYouth Bangladesh | Sadi is a YEE from Bangladesh with experience in mixed‑methods evaluation across humanitarian, education, governance, and climate resilience contexts. He works on responsible AI use in low‑connectivity and sensitive settings, emphasizing ethics, trust, participation, and human judgment. |
| Mahesh Krishnan Ramesh (GENSA) | Young and emerging policy professional | Mahesh is a young and emerging policy professional specializing in social and behaviour change communication. With degrees in public policy and actuarial science, he combines policy analysis and statistical methods, with an advanced focus on semiotic analysis to inform inclusive policy design. |
| Arshee Rizvi | Specialist-Artificial Inteligence | Arshee Rizvi specializes in artificial intelligence, data science, and impact-driven solutions, dedicated to leveraging technology for real-world transformation. She is currently serving as the Lead of AI/ML at the Development Intelligence Unit (DIU), where she drives AI-driven innovations for monitoring & evaluation (M&E), policy research, climate action, and governance. She is also serving as Co-Leader at EvalYouth India (EYI) and as a Member of the Board of Directors at the Asia Pacific Evaluation Association (APEA) and the International Organization for Cooperation in Evaluation (IOCE). |
Moderators
| Name | Title | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Amrita Gupta (GENSA) | independent evaluation | Amrita Gupta is an independent evaluation professional with 20 years of experience in mixed-methods research, monitoring and evaluation, and policy review, with a strong focus on advancing gender equality, women’s health, and economic opportunities. She is a core team member of the Gender & Equity Network South Asia (GENSA), a member of the Evaluation Community of India and APEA’s Partnerships Thematic Group, and an IPDET 2024 alumna |