Artificial intelligence could be a good fit for the task of navigating the Byzantine rules governing welfare programs, but Sanders says the human element will remain paramount. On the current system, staff can override the computer program’s suggestions, according to Sanders. READ MORE Broke in Philly stories The point is to give staff the ability to carry on a conversation with someone who needs help while the computer program does the drudgery and calculations in the background. “In the best circumstance, it should enable more human interaction and a better client experience if you recognize that the technology is one tool in the broader scheme of things,” Sanders says. In 2018, BDT was awarded a $1 million grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Rockefeller Foundation—where Sanders was a fellow—to enhance BDT’s use of technology. But when Sanders looks into the future now, he doesn’t just see technological innovation. The imperative to protect the public from the deadly coronavirus required a response to essentially shut down all but the most essential businesses in Philadelphia and in most of the country. That should save lives, but it has brought a hammer down on people’s finances, which will have lasting implications.
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