A software program called “Annie” utilizes machine learning in order to place refugees in U.S. cities where they are most likely to be welcomed and succeed, reports Jasu Hu in the Atlantic.
In the article, “How Technology Could Revolutionize Refugee Resettlement,” Hu notes that the Annie software is named after Annie Moore, “the Irishwoman who was the first person to pass through Ellis Island.”
The software the software uses a matching algorithm to allocate refugees with no ties to the United States to their new homes,the article notes.
“Annie’s algorithm is based on a machine learning model in which a computer is fed huge piles of data from past placements, so that the program can refine its future recommendations. The system examines a series of variables—physical ailments, age, levels of education and languages spoken, for example—related to each refugee case. In other words, the software uses previous outcomes and current constraints to recommend where a refugee is most likely to succeed,” Hu writes.
The software is being utilized by HIAS, a refugee assistance nonprofit.
“Every city where HIAS has an office or an affiliate is given a score for each refugee. The higher the score, the better the match,” Hu reports.
The Immigration and Refugee News Digest 