In Bangladesh, AI targeted aid faster, cheaper, and often more accurately than manual methods
GiveDirectly
Ref: SRC-003-BGD-004
Accessed: 3/24/2026
Summary
Implementer summary of the Bangladesh MobileAid pilot. Reports BDT 15,000 per household (two instalments, Nov 2023 - Mar 2024) via bKash mobile money. Details enrolment via Bangladesh's 333 helpline with identity verification by trained agents and staffed call centre. Identifies four barriers to scaling: regulatory approvals, telecom cooperation, trust-building, and exclusion risk for phoneless populations. Notes phone-based targeting delivers greatest welfare impact per dollar when screening large populations under tight budgets.
View Harvard reference
GiveDirectly (2025). In Bangladesh, AI targeted aid faster, cheaper, and often more accurately than manual methods, 2 July 2025. New York: GiveDirectly. Available at: https://www.givedirectly.org/ai-targeting-bangladesh/ (Accessed 24 March 2026).