THE International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), Zindi, the leading professional network for AI and data science, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have officially launched the AI for Equity Challenge: Climate Action, Gender, & Health. This innovative global competition aims to engage researchers, non-profits, and startups in using artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced cloud computing to create new solutions that address the pressing issues of gender inequality, health disparities, and the climate crisis. The six-month virtual contest seeks to spark the development of AI-driven innovations with a focus on equity, aligning with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Hosted on Zindi’s data science platform, the AI for Equity Challenge is part of the broader mission of the Amazon Sustainability Data Initiative (ASDI), which focuses on accelerating sustainability research and innovation by reducing the time and cost required to access and analyse vast datasets. Participants will have access to data hosted on AWS, including climate projections, satellite imagery, weather forecasts, air quality data, and more, to help develop scalable and impactful solutions.
The challenge comes at a time when global concerns over climate change, health equity, and gender inequality are at the forefront of international agendas. It will be launched during the 2024 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Climate Week NYC, underlining the need for technological innovation to meet the world’s most urgent sustainability challenges.
A global effort to solve complex problems
The AI for Equity Challenge is designed to address some of the world’s most complex challenges—climate action, health, and gender equity—by harnessing the transformative power of AI. The competition directly targets SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), promoting collaboration across global communities to foster innovative solutions.
Participants will be encouraged to develop AI-powered projects that use the extensive ASDI datasets, with a preference for AWS AI services and infrastructure, to tackle the intersections of climate change, health, and gender. As AI continues to evolve, its potential to address real-world issues is becoming increasingly evident. By creating innovative AI-driven solutions, the challenge seeks to support a future where technology drives positive social and environmental impact.
Davor Orlic, Chief Operating Officer at IRCAI, stressed the importance of using AI to solve these global challenges: ‘As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, it is crucial that we harness its potential to address real-world problems. At IRCAI, our mission is to guide the ethical development of AI technologies, ensuring they serve the greater good and are inclusive of marginalized AI communities. This challenge, in collaboration with AWS and Zindi, is an opportunity to discover and support the most innovative minds using AI to create impactful solutions for the climate crisis and equity issues.’
Supporting sustainable innovation
A steering committee made up of members from NAIXUS, a network of AI and sustainable development research organizations convened by IRCAI, will oversee the selection process. They will evaluate proposals based on the innovative use of advanced AI technologies and the potential global impact on climate, health, and gender equity.
Dave Levy, Vice President of Worldwide Public Sector at AWS, highlighted 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 it’s computing power or advanced cloud technologies—to turn those ideas into reality.’
The competition is designed to encourage collaboration across regional and global AI communities, amplifying real-world solutions that enable decision-making and action on climate, gender, and health issues. The challenge will also offer participants technical resources, including high-performance computing, AI, machine learning, and generative AI services. Selected teams will receive expert guidance in AI sustainability and responsible AI practices, along with AWS credits to support the development of their solutions.
Next steps and timeline
The AI for Equity Challenge will proceed in phases, with the first round of technical proposals closing on November 4, 2024. Interested participants can find more details on applications and eligibility on Zindi’s platform. The competition offers a unique opportunity to engage with cutting-edge AI technologies and contribute to creating a more sustainable and equitable world.
For more information on how to participate in the AI for Equity Challenge, visit: Zindi’s AI for Equity Challenge.
