Amid escalating concerns over climate change and its ripple effects on vulnerable populations, three prominent organizations have joined forces to launch a global initiative aimed at developing cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. The “AI for Equity Challenge: Climate Action, Gender, and Health” is spearheaded by the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), an organization under UNESCO’s auspices, in partnership with data science platform Zindi and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
This six-month virtual competition invites researchers, nonprofits, and start-ups from around the world to propose AI-driven solutions addressing key intersections of climate change, gender inequality, and public health. By targeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – specifically SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 13 (Climate Action) – the challenge aims to support the development of AI applications that tackle the inequities exacerbated by the climate crisis.
IRCAI’s Chief Operating Officer, Davor Orlic, emphasized the growing importance of using AI ethically and inclusively, stating, “As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, it is crucial that we harness its potential to address real-world challenges. Our mission is to guide the ethical development of AI technologies, ensuring they serve the greater good and are inclusive of marginalized communities.”
The initiative will leverage cloud computing resources and AI services available through AWS, with participants accessing data via the Amazon Sustainability Data Initiative. A steering committee, including members of Naixus—a network of AI and sustainable development researchers—will review submissions and select the most innovative and impactful proposals.
Winning teams will not only receive AWS credits to develop their solutions but also gain expert mentorship in responsible AI development and sustainability practices. Dave Levy, Vice President of Worldwide Public Sector at AWS, underscored the urgency of the climate crisis, remarking, “Climate change is one of the greatest threats of our time, and we believe innovation is key to overcoming it. The AI for Equity Challenge invites innovators to bring forward visionary ideas, and we’ll support them with AWS resources to help turn those ideas into reality.”
The first phase of the competition, focused on gathering technical proposals, will close on November 4, 2024, with the final announcement of winning solutions slated for February 2025.
For more information or to apply for the AI for Equity Challenge, click here.