Over the past five years, Google.org has contributed more than $ 200 million to AI for social good initiatives that relate to, among other things, pressing global challenges such as hunger and public health. Based on these efforts, last September, we introduced AI collaborators, a new financing method designed to unite public, private and non-profit organizations and researchers to create AI-driven solutions to help people around the world.
Today we share more about our first two focus areas for AI collaborators: Fire Brands and Food Safety. Our experience of funding AI-driven solutions, comprehensive research at AI to help tackle some of humanity’s greatest challenges and commitment with Google Research have shown us that both are areas where AI can be particularly useful. Here is an update on this work so far.
AI Collaborative: Wildfires
Wildfires are a global crisis that claims more than 300,000 lives due to smoke exposure annually and causes billions of dollars in financial damage. AI Collaborative: Wildfires is a strategic initiative of Google.org that collects that the leading nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, state agencies and businesses can help people and communities better manage fires by using AI. To date, Google.org has contributed more than $ 27 million to AI Cooperation: Fire Brands.
Google.org has called for more than 15 organizations, including the Earth Fire Alliance and the Moore Foundation, to help in this important effort. By coordinating the financing and integration of advanced science, new technology and on-the-earth applications, we can provide partners with the tools they need to identify and trace fire fires in almost real time; quantify fireplace risk; Change more area to beneficial fires; and eventually reduces the damage caused by catastrophic fires.
AI Collaborative: Food Safety
Nearly a third of the world’s population faces moderate or severe food security due to extreme weather, conflict and financial shock. AI collaboration: Food Safety will strengthen the resilience of global food systems and improve food security for the world’s most vulnerable populations through AI technologies, collaborative research, data sharing and coordinated action. So far, 10 organizations have joined us in this effort and we will soon share more updates.
The force in collaboration
AI collaborators are rooted in the idea that AI’s potential lies not only in the technology itself, but also in partnerships that make its responsible use possible. By tackling urgent challenges such as wildfires and food security, our hope is that these collaborators create a foundation for AI to make meaningful societal contributions in the coming years.