The International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), under the auspices of UNESCO, has teamed up with data science platform Zindi and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to launch the AI for Equity Challenge: Climate Action, Gender, & Health. This six-month global virtual contest is designed to support researchers, non-profits, and startups in developing AI solutions that address pressing gender and health equity issues intensified by the climate crisis.
The challenge, hosted on Zindi’s platform, aligns with the Amazon Sustainability Data Initiative’s (ASDI) goal to accelerate research, innovation, and collaboration in sustainability by reducing the time and cost associated with accessing and analysing large datasets. ASDI collaborates with sustainability-focused organisations and government agencies to provide access to crucial datasets hosted on the AWS Cloud, including weather observations, climate projections, satellite imagery, and air quality data.
A Global Initiative for Sustainable Development
Participants in the AI for Equity Challenge will focus on innovative programming that fosters more equitable futures by addressing issues at the intersection of gender, health, and climate action. The competition targets three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
– SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
– SDG 5: Gender Equality
– SDG 13: Climate Action
The challenge encourages participants to utilize ASDI’s datasets and AWS’s AI services and infrastructure to develop groundbreaking solutions. The official launch will coincide with the 2024 UN General Assembly and the UN’s Summit of the Future in New York City, alongside Climate Week NYC.
Leveraging AI for Real-World Impact
Davor Orlic, Chief Operating Officer at IRCAI, highlighted the significance of the challenge, stating, “As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, it is crucial that we harness its potential to address real-world challenges. At IRCAI, our mission is to guide the ethical development of AI technologies, ensuring they serve the greater good and are inclusive of marginalised AI communities.”
The challenge aims to connect regional and global AI communities to tackle sustainability issues and amplify solutions that enable real-world decision-making and action. Participants will benefit from technical resources tailored to their needs, such as high-performance computing (HPC), cloud computing, and machine learning (ML) services. Selected teams will also receive AWS credits and expert guidance in AI sustainability and responsible AI practices.
Dave Levy, Vice President of Worldwide Public Sector at AWS, emphasised the importance of innovation in combating climate change: “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 their most visionary ideas, and we’ll support them with AWS resources — whether that’s computing power or advanced cloud technologies — to turn those ideas into reality.”
A steering committee comprising members of NAIXUS, a network of AI and sustainable development research organisations convened by IRCAI, will evaluate proposals based on their use of advanced AI technologies and potential for global impact on health, gender equity, and climate action. The challenge will proceed in phases, with the first round of technical proposal submissions closing on November 4, 2024.
A Call to Action for Innovators
The AI for Equity Challenge is now open for applications. Researchers, non-profits, and startups are encouraged to submit their proposals that leverage AI and cloud computing to drive sustainability and equity. For more details on challenge applications and eligibility, visit Zindi’s AI for Equity Challenge page via https://zindi.africa/ai-equity-challenge.
This challenge represents a significant opportunity to accelerate progress in addressing some of the most critical issues facing our world today.
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