Our seventh webinar in IAIA-FothergillTC Digital Impact Assessment Webinar Series.
This webinar focusses on Artificial Intelligence in Impact Assessment, which is the theme for IAIA25 in Bologna next May. We are specifically exploring the application of AI as a support tool for IA and E&S professionals in the form of a research assistant. Significant time is spent by E&S experts to track down useable data, local regulations and other details that may often be available online, but are not housed in a central or obvious location. This is where the power of AI can help by searching for and sifting through such information to bring key messages and direct links to the IA practitioner. Thus, more of the IA professionals’ limited time and resources can then be spent on activities that add more value to the project, their client, the environment and communities.
The webinar will present information and examples of application of E&S Solutions research assistant called myESRA™, which can do such heavy lifting while users focus on higher value analysis. myESRA is connected to E&S Solutions knowledge base that is updated by AI agents on a monthly basis to pick up new data and projects. myESRA is powered by a state-of-the-art large language model that provides answers and citations. The source files are renamed using AI into a format that is informative both for humans and machines.
The AI presentation will be led by E&S Solutions founder Ildiko Almasi Simsic, who has used her expertise across 15 years as a social development specialist working with esteemed International Financial Institutions such as IFC, World Bank, EBRD, and AIIB to ensure the application of AI is to the benefit of the IA process. Following the presentations, the presenters will be available on a panel discussion to answer delegate questions, and discussion to answer delegate questions, and discuss AI’s role in IA.