Following a month of political instability, Bangalore’s LetsGo Blore project has slowly stabilized their ranking. The project was marked with political controversy from the outset, after it was discovered that several city council members who had voted in favor of city participation in the WCAIR had been diverting funds intended for the project into their own coffers. The city was rocked with scandal after a news report broke the story this week, and the subsequent municipal reshuffling has put a new city council in place. LetsGo’s team should be able to continue their work without having to worry about their funding walking off on them.
Nairobi’s SafiNet project has also had difficulty both this and last week, though for entirely different reasons; drought conditions in northwestern Kenya have prompted a massive food aid program spearheaded by the government of Nairobi, and SafiNet’s food distribution and logistical specialists have volunteered to put their code aside and turn to more practical matters. While WCAIR judges lauded the selflessness and humanitarian aims of the SafiNet team, they pointed out that, as no progress has been made on the project due to the ongoing aid situation, points cannot be awarded.
Weekly Spotlight
Untitled Oversight Project: Juinen’s status as the dark horse of the 2021 WCAIR program has only been reinforced by the deliberately no-frills and multi-level nature of its AI project, which aims to establish a solid framework for the integration of AI technology into nearly all sectors of city infrastructure and management. The team’s focus on leadership by consensus and compromise, and willingness to be flexible and proactive, enable them to anticipate problems and react effectively, building the foundations needed to make Juinen a true AI city.
LetsGo Blore, AI Unemployment Prevention Database: The third-most populous city in India and heart of the country’s high-tech sector, Bangalore also suffers from substantial work shortages in growing industries. LetsGo is equal parts municipal job-hunting program and a city talent database, enabling applicants looking for work to enter their qualifications, and helping city agencies and commercial concerns find workers with skillsets best-suited for their needs. A complex multi-level AI pattern-matching suite enables LetsGo to process thousands of applications a day, ensuring that India’s skilled workers can find the employment they deserve.
