Artificial Intelligence for Country of Origin Information
The ACUTE project aims to stimulate a global discussion about the impact of new technologies on COI. Coordinated by ACCORD, the COI unit of the Austrian Red Cross, the project is financed by AMIF funds from Staatendokumentation, the COI unit of the Austrian Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA).
The project's main goal is to establish standards and guidelines for the use of AI in COI, as well as to develop applications that adhere to these standards. The project begins with a mapping exercise to identify existing AI activities in the field of COI, followed by an assessment of the needs of COI units. This will be followed by a constraints analysis to ensure the ethical and methodological integrity of AI applications. If deemed useful and feasible, prototype AI applications for COI databases will be selected or developed to gain practical insights. Lessons learned will be incorporated into a handbook on the use of AI in COI, providing users with theoretical and practical guidelines. Training materials will be developed, and training sessions will be conducted.
The ACUTE research consortium comprises a Steering Group consisting of COI unit management from 12 countries and the Chair of the IGC COI WG, as well as a Working Group consisting of individuals with practical experience of and knowledge about AI in the field of COI. An Advisory Group consisting of other stakeholders in the field of COI (e.g. users and producers of COI, including international and non-governmental organisations) as well as external experts (e.g. from academia) will provide feedback and external perspectives.
The project is scheduled to run from April 2025 to December 2029.
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