DECipher is an AI-driven platform built by I4DI, designed to unlock the value of 75 years of global development data. It synthesizes insights from more than 13,000 USAID documents in the Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) and provides customized recommendations based on users' specific prompts to address today's international development challenges. The tool is completely free and is aimed at NGOs, government agencies, and development practitioners, helping them make informed, data-driven decisions.
The core intelligence of DECipher is CREW AI, a system composed of multiple large language model (LLM) agents. Each LLM agent is optimized for a specific task and can process knowledge with extremely high precision, providing nuanced guidance based on decades of field experience rather than generic advice. These agents each have their own strengths: the methodology agent focuses on how things are done; the technical agent handles the technical details of projects; the project implementation agent is responsible for how projects are executed; the MEL agent deals with monitoring, evaluation, and learning; the rules and regulations agent covers rules and guidelines; and the communications agent focuses on how to communicate information effectively.
The ways CREW AI processes knowledge include: sample size calculation; the methods and tools used; designing research questions and evaluation matrices; the advantages and disadvantages of different methods; the strengths, weaknesses, and applicability of research; development domains; theories of change; development theories; intervention and methodology recommendations; RACI and resource allocation; operational protocols; required human resources/team composition; quality assessment; USAID rules and regulations compliance; communicating complex concepts to non-specialists; and helping organizations structure reports and blog posts.
DECipher is designed with scalability in mind, able to adapt to growth in its user base and expansion of its dataset. As more data becomes available, the platform can incorporate new information, enhancing its ability to generate insights that reflect the latest trends and developments in international aid.
As a public good for the global development community, DECipher upholds I4DI's commitment to equity and innovation and is offered completely free, similar to how ChatGPT democratized access to AI. Its goal is to empower organizations of all sizes, from grassroots NGOs to large government agencies, enabling them to access world-class research and evaluation capabilities. Whether users want to improve project outcomes or drive data-based policy decisions, DECipher provides the tools needed to promote more effective and sustainable development practices.
