A young mother and baby visit the local nutrition center in rural regions of Madagascar to participate in a discussion on children’s nutrition and learn new cooking recipes that promote a varied diet. Photo: Mohamad al-Arief / The World Bank.
The persistent humanitarian crises caused by natural and artificial disasters, oppression and other emergencies have tormented our world as long as time itself. And while world rescue organizations are disturbed to respond to these events, their work by definition is often reactive and difficult to evolve. We believe that technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) combined with cloud technology, can change the situation, help save more lives, relieve suffering and restore human dignity by modifying the way in which first line succession organizations anticipate, predict and better target response efforts.
Today, in collaboration with the Assembly of the United Nations General Assembly, we are announcing AI for humanitarian actionA new Microsoft program of $ 40 million over five years. The initiative will exploit the power of the AI to focus on four priorities – helping the world to recover from disasters, meet the needs of children, protect refugees and displaced persons and promote respect for human rights. Our AI program for humanitarian action is part of Microsoft AI for a good suite – a growing commitment of $ 115 million over five years to work to unlock solutions to some of the biggest challenges in society with artificial intelligence.
Modeled after our AI for Earth and AI for accessibility initiatives, we will work deeply with certain non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and humanitarian organizations thanks to financial subsidies, technological investments and partnerships that combine our know-how of AI and data science with basic expertise in these groups. We are optimistic that AI for humanitarian action will accelerate the pace of innovation by managing AI strategic projects which demonstrate new applications, providing reusable solutions and associating others to extend and set the initial projects to scale.
Our goal is to speed up new AI solutions as quickly and largely as possible in four areas:
- Disaster response. It seems that no corner of the planet is safe from the devastating consequences of natural disasters, whether fires, drought or storms. Artificial intelligence and data modeling are very promising for the forecasting and detection of the first signs of future disasters, and can also help responders to better target their aid. AI technologies as well as the machine vision can quickly analyze damaged or destroyed road images, making room for a faster and safer response. In a new partnership with the World Bank, the United Nations and technology industry partners, rescue organizations will be better able to predict when and where future famines will occur so that aid can arrive earlier, which can save more lives.
- Children’s needs. We believe that AI can equip NGOs and organizations with better tools to protect the most vulnerable population in the world: children. Trade in human beings, for example, is one of the largest criminal industries in the world, trapping millions of children each year. We are already using predictive analyzes and BOT executives to target both the supply and demand that underlies the trafficking in human beings – finally disturbing criminals and relief victims of the whole world.
Basic health services for children are also in the essential needs of the world. Our longtime partner of NGOs, Operation SOURIEUse AI modeling of industrial and facial vision to improve the surgical results of the organization and help more children need facial surgeries. Another problem where advanced technologies can help. Each year, thousands of babies die, but the deep causes of SMSN are not yet fully understood. Microsoft collaborates with the Integrative Institute for Research on the Brain Research of the Seattle Children’s Hospital and some of the best medical researchers from around the world The use of AI and automatic learning to develop the very first genomic database focused on SMSN to provide new information to identify the causes and put an end to SIDS worldwide.
- Refugees and displaced persons. The number of refugees and displaced people in the world is at a record level, and it is a founding challenge of our generation. AI and automatic learning have the potential to improve the lives of around 68 million people in the world, including 28 million refugees. AI can help optimize the delivery of aid, supplies and refugee services and can evolve the efforts of NGOs to communicate and understand the needs of displaced people. Microsoft is already working with the Norwegian Refugee Council, Nethope and University College Dublin in develop a chatbot using AI technologiesLike understanding language, automatic translation and speech recognition to intelligently help the displaced young people connect them with free and high quality educational resources. The use of chatbots like this could also provide a model for humanitarian workers in the field. This could help these workers communicate with displaced people who speak different languages and who need specific basic services such as access to food, health care and sheltered.
- Human rights. We will collaborate with NGOs and humanitarian organizations to accelerate revolutionary solutions to help monitor, detect and prevent human rights violations. Deep Learning has created the ability to better predict, analyze and respond to critical human rights situations. Using the translation of speech fueled by AI, people can connect with pro bono lawyers that protect people’s human rights.
One fundamental aspect of our whole AI for good initiatives is to combine Microsoft’s technology and expertise in artificial intelligence and data science with the talent and expertise of groups around the world in fields such as environmental sciences, disability and humanitarian assistance. While we continue to develop our efforts in all these areas, we are assessing a new team within Microsoft of scientists and analysts of high -level data.
To direct these efforts, John Kahan will join the data analysis data manager for Microsoft’s external business, external and legal, reports directly. John’s team will have an ambitious mission – to derive new ideas and infuse data science to meet the big challenges of the world. This will include the promotion of the sustainable use of planet’s resources, improving opportunities for disabled people, the protection of human rights, strengthening humanitarian aid and increasing the capacity of global NGOs. For over 15 years, John has been one of the main leaders who have led Microsoft’s strategy and work. He has more than 33 years of experience in driving large -scale data and world -class data science teams. I could not be more enthusiastic about the future contributions than this team has the opportunity to continue.
We hope that the world will see what a convincing force for a good AI can be when used in partnership with innovative NGOs. By ensuring that technology is promising to meet the widest societal needs, we can allow everyone to achieve more.