Ms. Divya Jain

Mobile AI for Social Good: Enabling Resilient Communities Through Intelligent Offline Networks

Abstract:

Billions of people worldwide live in areas with intermittent or nonexistent internet access, restricting their ability to benefit from digital transformation and humanitarian innovation. This session presents research and engineering practices demonstrating how mobile artificial intelligence can deliver measurable social-impact outcomes through intelligent offline networks. Drawing on advances in peer-to-peer mesh architectures and delay-tolerant networking protocols, we explore how on-device AI inference, contextual recognition, and lightweight edge models enable critical services such as emergency coordination, healthcare triage, and educational access even in the absence of connectivity. Field-tested implementations show that decentralized mobile AI systems can significantly reduce emergency message delivery latency compared to traditional communication systems and facilitate medical pre-screening workflows with high diagnostic alignment to cloud-assisted models, all while maintaining privacy through federated learning and differential data encryption. These findings emerge from deployments modeled on rural connectivity pilots and disaster response frameworks, illustrating the feasibility of AI-powered humanitarian interventions that do not rely on centralized infrastructure. Beyond technical design, this work emphasizes ethical governance, data minimization, and open-source collaboration, advocating for inclusive AI ecosystems where communities retain autonomy over their data and network resilience. By reimagining AI as an enabler of universal accessibility rather than a privilege of connectivity, this talk highlights a scalable, policy-aligned roadmap for deploying mobile AI systems that operate effectively under extreme resource constraints, ultimately empowering underserved populations through sustainable, intelligent offline networks.

Profile:

Divya Jain is an accomplished Engineering Manager and App Developer with over 12 years of experience in mobile engineering across fintech, telecom, insurance, and consumer technology. Currently leading mobile engineering at Quanata LLC, she heads the team behind HiRoad, an innovative app that rewards safer driving. Divya has a proven track record of delivering scalable features and high-quality releases across iOS and Android platforms, partnering cross-functionally to define product vision and technical strategy. Before joining Quanata, Divya was a Senior Mobile App Developer at Gametime, where she rebranded and redeveloped the Android and iOS apps, achieving over 1 million active installs. She played a pivotal role in designing authentication, checkout, and conversion flows that drove significant growth and revenue. Earlier, at Bank of America, she contributed to the enterprise-grade Android app used by millions nationwide, focusing on security and financial workflows such as authentication, funds transfer, and bill payment. Divya began her career at Samsung Research India, contributing to Samsung’s Tizen OS, where she developed system applications and open-source reference apps that showcased the platform’s capabilities. Her technical foundation also includes roles at Accenture and Lantiq Communications, where she worked on automation frameworks and chipset development support tools. A passionate advocate for technology-driven social good, Divya has volunteered as the lead Android developer for the Humane Eating Project, transforming its app into a scalable, user-friendly platform promoting ethical and sustainable dining. Recognized for her leadership, she received Quanata’s Excellence Core Value Award (2024). Beyond her engineering contributions, Divya is a global conference speaker who has delivered talks at major events such as Droidcon (London, Italy, Boston, SF, Uganda), Android Makers Paris, DroidKaigi Tokyo, and DevFest events, covering topics like Jetpack Compose, DataStore, CameraX, and modern mobile architectures. She also serves as a program committee judge, mentor, and hackathon judge for initiatives such as HackMIT and Groundbreaker Talents.