Investigation Finds AI Tool Does Not Improve Adoptions

2023-11-13

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1
  • Thea Ramirez is a former social worker.
  • 2
  • She now runs a non-profit organization called Adoption-Share.
  • 3
  • Ramirez has partnered with a computer scientist and developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool called Family-Match.
  • 4
  • The tool aims to help social service agencies find the best parents to adopt children in foster care.
  • 5
  • Foster care is a temporary service provided by American states for children who cannot live with their families.
  • 6
  • Gian Gonzaga is the computer scientist who worked with Ramirez.
  • 7
  • He had previously directed the technology behind eharmony, a popular online dating tool.
  • 8
  • "I was more excited about the project than anything I've heard for all of my career," Gonzaga said in a Family-Match video posted to YouTube.
  • 9
  • But an Associated Press (AP) investigation found that Family-Match produced limited results in the states where it has been used.
  • 10
  • The results raise questions about the ability of AI to solve complex human problems.
  • 11
  • Social workers in Florida, Georgia and Virginia told AP that Family-Match was not useful.
  • 12
  • It often led them to unwilling families.
  • 13
  • Virginia and Georgia stopped using Family-Match after a trial experiment.
  • 14
  • They said the tool only produced one or two adoptions a year.
  • 15
  • Tennessee planned to use Family-Match but was unable because of technical issues.
  • 16
  • Florida agencies, however, reported a better experience with the tool.
  • 17
  • They said Family-Match assisted them in finding more possible parents to adopt foster children.
  • 18
  • Ramirez did not agree to answer questions from the AP.
  • 19
  • But she said in an email that "Family-Match is a valuable tool and helpful to users actively using it to support their recruitment + matching efforts."
  • 20
  • And Gonzaga asked all questions to be sent to Ramirez.
  • 21
  • Ramirez lives in Georgia, where her nonprofit organization Adoption-Share is based.
  • 22
  • She got her start by building a website to match possible parents with mothers who wanted their babies to be adopted.
  • 23
  • Ramirez marketed her website to organizations that are against abortion.
  • 24
  • Abortion is a medical process that ends a woman's pregnancy.
  • 25
  • These organizations seek to provide care for pregnant women to persuade them to give birth.
  • 26
  • After the state of Georgia stopped using Family-Match, Ramirez met with the state governor's office and appeared at a legislative hearing to request $250,000 to pay for a statewide expansion.
  • 27
  • In July, Georgia decided to use Family-Match again and signed a new agreement.
  • 28
  • Adoption-Share is permitting Georgia to use Family-Match for free, a state official said.
  • 29
  • Family-Match was also used for free in Florida at first.
  • 30
  • Thanks to a grant, or financial award, from the former head of the company that makes Patrón tequila, a kind of alcohol.
  • 31
  • The grant ended in October 2022.
  • 32
  • They would not explain why the grant ended, but said they were very pleased with the work done with Adoption-Share.
  • 33
  • After the grant ended, Florida state government paid for Family-Match.
  • 34
  • Last month, the state awarded Adoption-Share a $350,000 contract.
  • 35
  • In May, Family-Match was chosen to receive money from an event supported by Adam Wainwright.
  • 36
  • At the time, Wainwright was a professional baseball player with the St. Louis Cardinals in the state of Missouri.
  • 37
  • This year, Adoption-Share won a contract with the Florida Department of Health to build a tool centered on children with the most severe medical needs and disabilities.
  • 38
  • I'm Gena Bennett.
  • 1
  • Thea Ramirez is a former social worker. She now runs a non-profit organization called Adoption-Share.
  • 2
  • Ramirez has partnered with a computer scientist and developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool called Family-Match. The tool aims to help social service agencies find the best parents to adopt children in foster care. Foster care is a temporary service provided by American states for children who cannot live with their families.
  • 3
  • Gian Gonzaga is the computer scientist who worked with Ramirez. He had previously directed the technology behind eharmony, a popular online dating tool.
  • 4
  • "I was more excited about the project than anything I've heard for all of my career," Gonzaga said in a Family-Match video posted to YouTube.
  • 5
  • Limited results
  • 6
  • But an Associated Press (AP) investigation found that Family-Match produced limited results in the states where it has been used. The results raise questions about the ability of AI to solve complex human problems.
  • 7
  • Social workers in Florida, Georgia and Virginia told AP that Family-Match was not useful. It often led them to unwilling families.
  • 8
  • Virginia and Georgia stopped using Family-Match after a trial experiment. They said the tool only produced one or two adoptions a year.
  • 9
  • Tennessee planned to use Family-Match but was unable because of technical issues.
  • 10
  • Florida agencies, however, reported a better experience with the tool. They said Family-Match assisted them in finding more possible parents to adopt foster children.
  • 11
  • Ramirez did not agree to answer questions from the AP. But she said in an email that "Family-Match is a valuable tool and helpful to users actively using it to support their recruitment + matching efforts."
  • 12
  • And Gonzaga asked all questions to be sent to Ramirez.
  • 13
  • Gaining support
  • 14
  • Ramirez lives in Georgia, where her nonprofit organization Adoption-Share is based. She got her start by building a website to match possible parents with mothers who wanted their babies to be adopted.
  • 15
  • Ramirez marketed her website to organizations that are against abortion. Abortion is a medical process that ends a woman's pregnancy. These organizations seek to provide care for pregnant women to persuade them to give birth.
  • 16
  • After the state of Georgia stopped using Family-Match, Ramirez met with the state governor's office and appeared at a legislative hearing to request $250,000 to pay for a statewide expansion.
  • 17
  • In July, Georgia decided to use Family-Match again and signed a new agreement. Adoption-Share is permitting Georgia to use Family-Match for free, a state official said.
  • 18
  • Family-Match was also used for free in Florida at first. Thanks to a grant, or financial award, from the former head of the company that makes Patrón tequila, a kind of alcohol. The grant ended in October 2022. They would not explain why the grant ended, but said they were very pleased with the work done with Adoption-Share.
  • 19
  • After the grant ended, Florida state government paid for Family-Match. Last month, the state awarded Adoption-Share a $350,000 contract.
  • 20
  • In May, Family-Match was chosen to receive money from an event supported by Adam Wainwright. At the time, Wainwright was a professional baseball player with the St. Louis Cardinals in the state of Missouri.
  • 21
  • This year, Adoption-Share won a contract with the Florida Department of Health to build a tool centered on children with the most severe medical needs and disabilities.
  • 22
  • I'm Gena Bennett.
  • 23
  • Sally Ho and Garance Burke reported this story for Associated Press. Gena Bennett adapted it for VOA Learning English.
  • 24
  • _______________________________________________
  • 25
  • Words in This Story
  • 26
  • to adopt-v. to legally make someone else's child your own
  • 27
  • match-v. go well together
  • 28
  • recruitment-n. finding the person you need
  • 29
  • dating-n. a the process of finding a love interest