SAMI: a chatbot for people on the move

The Mixed Migration Centre, together with other Danish Refugee Council colleagues, has developed a generative artificial intelligence chatbot designed to provide information and advice to people on the move in Colombia. It also strengthens evidence-based decision-making in the humanitarian sector through efficient data collection, supporting humanitarian programming and public policy design. 

How the chatbot works

The chatbot is powered exclusively by a consolidated and verified database developed by MMC and DRC in Colombia. It provides timely, reliable, and verified information to refugees and migrants on rights, services, and assistance.

With informed consent, users can ask questions directly via WhatsApp, one of the most widely used platforms among people on the move in the region. It works primarily in Spanish, but can also answer in Portuguese, French and English.

SAMI also collects brief, strategic data in real time, anonymously and ethically, with informed consent.

Screen shot of the chatbot

The development of this tool is based on evidence collected by MMC in the region, which identified significant gaps in access to reliable information during migration journeys. Surveys conducted with migrants revealed a high reliance on social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp to obtain information about routes, services, and conditions in destination areas. 

These findings were complemented by a social media listening exercise and six focus groups conducted in two cities in Colombia. These showed that many migrants make decisions based on outdated or unverified information, increasing risks during their journey and integration process. 

In addition, humanitarian actors working in the field lack real-time information and data to understand the characteristics of migration movements. This lack of data prevents organisations from having the tools to make timely and well-informed decisions to adapt their responses to the needs of refugees and migrants. 

The pilot phase was completed in November 2025, where it entered the testing phase with people on the move, local authorities, humanitarian coordination and partners. On 25 March 2026, SAMI the Chatbot started to be rolled out in Colombia.

See also

Online communities: How do people on the move to North America use social media?