AI For Good Lab
“Now is the time for urgent action. Those of us that can do more, should do more. But the challenges we face are complex, and no one company, sector, or country can solve them alone.”
-Brad Smith, Vice Chair & President of Microsoft
The Prompt with Trevor Noah
Join Trevor Noah, Microsoft’s Chief Questions Officer, in a thought-provoking series that delves into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) alongside our AI for Good Lab partners. Each episode explores fundamental questions at the heart of AI’s global impact. From shaping public safety, to health and education, the series takes viewers to the forefront of technological advancements, engaging with technologists, engineers, and scientists. These episodes catalyze discussions about the limitless possibilities of AI.
AI for Good: Applications in Sustainability, Humanitarian Action, and Health
In this book by Microsoft’s Chief Data Scientist Juan Lavista Ferres, discover how mission-driven leaders and AI researchers are using technology to transform the world for the better. With foreword from Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft.
Challenges we face
33M people are affected by food insecurity.
50% decline in our planet’s wildlife since 1970
1.3B people or 1 in 6 in the US live with a disability
<50% of people globally have access to essential health services.
Stories about our progress
The sounds of the rainforest
Listen and learn about the Amazon’s call for conservation through bioacoustics. In the heart of South America lies the Amazon Rainforest, a crucial component of the Earth’s ecological balance. Spanning across nine countries and covering over 5.5 million square kilometers, the Amazon is a critical indicator of the planet’s health.
Identifying at-risk communities
Traditional population mapping often overlooks communities amidst unplanned growth and migration. Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, partnering with Planet and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), employs satellite imagery and AI to produce high-resolution population maps for better climate-event resilience.
Advanced forecasting for hunger
With 690 million people facing hunger in 2020, worsened by climate disasters, urgent assistance is vital. A study by Microsoft AI for Good Lab and Catholic Relief Services used machine learning to predict food insecurity in southern Malawi with 83% accuracy up to 4 months ahead, aiding informed decisions for proactive interventions.
Chatbot app to combat smoking addiction
Over 1.3 billion individuals are regular smokers, causing 7.7 million annual deaths, with 1.3 million non-smokers affected by second-hand smoke exposure. To combat this epidemic, the AI for Good Lab worked together with Fred Hutch to develop a chatbot app for smoking cessation.
Mapping the planet to clean energy
Global renewable energy transition requires accurate data on solar and wind installations. In collaboration with Partnerships: Planet and The Nature Conservancy, the Global Renewables Watch is a living atlas using AI and satellite imagery to map utility-scale solar and wind installations worldwide.
Pytorch-wildlife empowers conservation
Pytorch-Wildlife serves as a versatile platform for developing and sharing AI conservation models, from camera traps and overhead images to bioacoustics. Achieving meaningful progress in conservation demands collective action and engagement.
Specialties
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