The long road to a sustainable future
The United Nations (UN) is exploring ways to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive change and make a positive impact on the environment.
As a part of this process, the interagency working group on AI was established in 2020, which is co-led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO.
The AI for Good platform has launched the Neural Network, an AI-powered community networking and content platform designed to help users build connections with innovators and experts.
Multiple UN agencies are also driving new competitions to find the best ways to advance climate action with AI. The climate action challenge aims to create an innovation ecosystem where collaborative problem-solving will help bring promising AI solutions to the world. It also will connect participating innovators with new partners in industry and academia.
The new climate action challenge is modelled on successful ITU challenges to apply AI and machine learning in 5G networks. Estimates suggest that 5G networks are around four times more energy-efficient than 4G networks. These problem-solving competitions, first launched in 2020, have given rise to valuable AI solutions and helped build AI innovation capacity around the world.
The climate action challenge hosts competitions to, amongst other things, to detect climate extremes, forecast flood and droughts to provide early warnings, and identify water resources vulnerable to climate change.
In addition, AI is being used along with satellite imagery to monitor and map soil moisture, which can address crop productivity and provide early warnings of floods or droughts.
ITU is committed to developing AI standards, providing policy support, building capacity worldwide, supporting responsible AI uptake, and driving broad global collaboration. AI forms a growing part of ITU’s partnerships promoting health, smart mobility, smart cities, and sustainable digital development.
At the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva last year, there was agreement that AI could be beneficial to developed and developing countries. Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, said, “Inclusive AI is key to addressing human challenges and unlocking opportunities for humanity in all areas of human endeavour.”
Developing countries including the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states will need support in building their AI capacity.
However, key issues that all countries face include financing, language, inclusion, infrastructure, legislation, and capacity development on both the technical and the policy level.
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