GNAI Visual Synopsis: A relief worker sits at a computer, scrolling through photographs of children on an AI-powered database, with a map marked with locations in the background—a symbol of hope and connection in the face of disaster.
One-Sentence Summary
TÜBİTAK’s AI program DerinGÖRÜ successfully reunited 1,865 children with their families in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye, as reported by Hürriyet Daily News. Read The Full Article
Key Points
- 1. The AI program DerinGÖRÜ, developed by Türkiye’s national science agency TÜBİTAK, played a pivotal role in reconnecting 1,865 children with their families after the February 6 earthquakes that struck the country.
- 2. The program expedited the process of matching pictures and information of children separated from their relatives; of the 1,914 children tracked, the majority were successfully identified and returned to their families or connected relatives.
- 3. Alongside the reunifications, there was a massive surge in foster family and adoption applications, with more than 70,000 adoption and 330,000 foster family applications received, a reflection of the public’s empathetic response to the disaster.
- 4. Following an initial spike in interest, only about 84,000 potential guardians attended the preliminary interviews, from which 4,329 families proceeded to officially apply to become foster families.
Key Insight
The use of AI technology in disaster response demonstrates its potential to handle large-scale humanitarian crises by efficiently managing critical data and expediting reunification, showing how tech can have a tangible impact on social welfare and emergency management.
Why This Matters
DerinGÖRÜ’s success highlights the growing importance of AI in disaster relief efforts, emphasizing how innovative technology can transform and enhance the efficiency of traditional methods in locating and assisting vulnerable populations, thus serving as a critical tool in crisis response and family reunification.
Notable Quote
İbrahim Kürşat Ergüt noted, “DerinGÖRÜ greatly helped the department during this process. We were the first users of the program, which strengthened our hand in quickly comparing the pictures and information about the children, reaching conclusions and providing information to other parties.”
