VOA科学技术2023--Investigation Finds AI Tool Does Not Improve Adoptions

Investigation¹ Finds AI Tool Does Not Improve Adoptions²

Thea Ramirez is a former social worker. She now runs a non-profit organization called Adoption-Share.

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.

Gian Gonzaga is the computer scientist who worked with Ramirez. He had previously³ directed the technology behind eharmony, a popular online dating tool.

"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.

Limited results

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.

Social workers in Florida, Georgia and Virginia told AP that Family-Match was not useful. It often led them to unwilling⁴ families.

Virginia and Georgia stopped using Family-Match after a trial experiment. They said the tool only produced one or two adoptions a year.

Tennessee planned to use Family-Match but was unable because of technical issues.

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.

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 actively⁵ using it to support their recruitment + matching efforts."

And Gonzaga asked all questions to be sent to Ramirez.

Gaining support

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.

Ramirez marketed her website to organizations that are against abortion⁶. Abortion is a medical process that ends a woman's pregnancy⁷. These organizations seek to provide care for pregnant women to persuade them to give birth.

After the state of Georgia stopped using Family-Match, Ramirez met with the state governor's office and appeared at a legislative⁸ hearing to request $250,000 to pay for a statewide expansion.

In July, Georgia decided⁹ 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.

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.

After the grant ended, Florida state government paid for Family-Match. Last month, the state awarded Adoption-Share a $350,000 contract.

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 Cardinals¹⁰ in the state of Missouri.

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.

Words in This Story

to adopt–v. to legally make someone else's child your own

match—v. go well together

recruitment–n. finding the person you need

dating—n. a the process of finding a love interest

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 adoptions   

n.采用，收养( adoption的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Adoption agencies are always so open to alternative family adoptions. 领养中介机构永远都对领养家庭敞开。 来自电影对白
• The number of adoptions has grown in the past year. 去年，收养子女的数字增加了。 来自互联网

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

5 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

6 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

7 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

8 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 cardinals   

红衣主教( cardinal的名词复数 )； 红衣凤头鸟（见于北美，雄鸟为鲜红色）； 基数

参考例句：

• cardinals in scarlet robes 身披红袍的枢机主教
• A conclave of cardinals was held to elect the new Pope. 红衣主教团举行了秘密会议来选举新教皇。