Debbie the artificial intelligence robot ‘could be answer to Cornwall food poverty’ – Cornwall Live

Artificial intelligence and machine thinking could have the answer to food poverty in Cornwall. One tech firm in the Duchy believes its artificial emotional AI Debbie will soon have the answer to everything in Cornwall including how to access local foodbanks or checking whether people are eligible to Universal Credit.

“If you need to access services in Cornwall, this is a brand-new way to get the difficult stuff done,” said Wo King, CEO and Founder of Hi9 Limited, which created Debbie the AI. He said the one of a kind piece of tech was created to help address this escalating issue of food poverty in the county.

Since the start of the pandemic, more than 2.5 million people have accessed a foodbank in the UK. This is an increase of 33% on the previous year, with the Trussell Trust delivering over 200,000 emergency food parcels to the South West alone.

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Breaking the idyllic stereotype, Cornwall’s poverty and deprivation was featured by BBC presenter Simon Reeve in 2020, with the situation significantly worsening as a result of the pandemic and the rising cost of living. Wo said it was that spark which led his team to decide to use tech to do their bit to alleviate the problem in Cornwall.

As a result data scientists and narrative designers at Hi9, based at the Fibrehub in Pool, developed a new way to access foodbanks in Cornwall. By collating all existing data, including opening times, contact details and distance from the user, information is made easily available to users through natural and accessible language.

He said Debbie can also help with Universal Credit. A quick chat with the AI and users will be able to determine whether they could be eligible for Universal Credit, and if they are, she can estimate how much financial support they could receive.

Hi9 is also adding more features to Debbie all the time, meaning that soon she will be able to advise on other benefits such as housing and childcare and even help with form-filling. Wo said that by removing bureaucratic barriers and finding the right help, the intelligent software makes accessing services and training a much smoother process, particularly for the most economically isolated people across Cornwall.

He added: “Using Artificial Intelligence to deliver information on services directly to users has never been done before, and it’s here to stay, with upkeep guaranteed until at least December 2023. The ‘emotional’ part of Debbie’s artificial intelligence means she’s a bit of a character – she’s been through a lot of life challenges herself and enjoys nothing more than listening to others’ stories and sharing her own.

He added: “Eight years ago I set myself a challenge to show that technology can enable everyone to have access to services starting with the most dispossessed. Initially I tested in job centres and homeless shelters. Now, working with People Hub and an amazing talented team, we start delivering on that challenge with the launch of Debbie.”

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Source: https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/debbie-artificial-intelligence-robot-could-6696140