One of the latest trends in data science is driving an initiative to combat a significant challenge: human trafficking.

Researchers at Stanford University are weaving together the threads of data-driven interventions that promise to reshape the fight against exploitation. From satellite imagery to ethical considerations, the journey embodies the intersection of technology and compassion, offering a glimpse into a future where data becomes a formidable ally in the quest for justice.

“When I first started working on human trafficking, we did not have any data whatsoever,” said Kimberly Babiarz (pictured), research director at the Stanford Human Trafficking Data Lab at Stanford University. “In the modern data economy, we are invested in expanding what we think of as trafficking-related data. We can take advantage of the era that we’re living in where we are drinking from a fire hose when it comes to data streams.”

Babiarz spoke with theCUBE host Savannah Peterson at the Women in Data Science Worldwide Conference, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed the innovative approaches her team is employing to combat the global epidemic of human trafficking, especially when it comes to using the latest trends in data science.

Harnessing data for change: The latest trends in data science

Established around five years ago, the Stanford Human Trafficking Data Lab emerged from a visionary partnership dedicated to bringing evidence-based interventions to combat human trafficking, particularly in Brazil’s robust anti-trafficking community, according to Babiarz.

“A lot of that data that isn’t traditionally used to work on intractable issues like trafficking, I think if you reimagine what that work looks like, you can actually do quite a lot in this space,” she said. “With the technologies that we have available to us now, the AIs and the LLMs, you can … transform that into data that’s useful for research.”

One of the lab’s remarkable endeavors involves using satellite imagery and object detection algorithms to pinpoint illegal work sites in remote areas such as the Arc of Deforestation in Brazil. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, they are not only revolutionizing data collection, but also expediting the identification of trafficking activities, providing invaluable support to frontline stakeholders and law enforcement agencies.

“We like to say that the tools that we build at the Trafficking Data Lab are basically like a fancy dishwasher that really just helps them to make their life easier, to help them process through all of their cases in a more efficient way, to target the cases in a better way and to just enhance the very important work that frontline people are doing,” Babiarz said.

Ethical considerations and the path forward

Amid the promising strides in leveraging technology for social good, Babiarz also addressed the ethical implications inherent in wielding data science against nefarious actors.

There is a critical need for stewardship and collaboration with survivor advocates to ensure that AI and data-driven approaches prioritize human rights and mitigate potential harm, she explained. This call for ethical vigilance resonates deeply in a landscape where technological advancements often outpace regulatory frameworks, highlighting the imperative of responsible innovation and community engagement.

“We just had a wonderful, very high-level panel discussion where the entire focus was on ethical AI and how do we make sure that AI is serving the human rights agenda that we want to have,” Babiarz said. “It actually goes beyond ethics to human rights. It’s not just this obligation to protect people and not do any more harm; it’s actually an obligation to improve people’s lives and help people.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE Research’s coverage of the Women in Data Science Worldwide Conference:

Photo: SiliconANGLE