AI for Good Impact Awards

Summary

This transcript documents the AI for Good Impact Awards ceremony, a United Nations event recognizing artificial intelligence solutions that address global challenges across multiple categories. The ceremony featured four main award categories: AI for People, AI for Planet, AI for Prosperity, and Pro Bono Collaboration, with each category evaluated based on innovation, impact, sustainability, ethics, and contribution to global challenges.

The AI for People Impact Award went to FetalSense by CareNX Innovations, an AI-powered fetal monitoring system that enables early detection of fetal distress in rural and low-resource settings without requiring specialist doctors on-site. The other finalists included Hera, a WhatsApp chatbot supporting refugee women’s healthcare access, and nCLUDE, a platform making digital content accessible for people with disabilities. For the AI for Planet category, WorldFish won with their Smart Catch solution, an AI-powered sustainability suite that optimizes fishing vessel routes and supports climate-smart management of small-scale fisheries.

The AI for Prosperity Award was presented to FarmerChat by Digital Green, a scalable AI platform providing personalized agricultural advice to smallholder farmers. The Pro Bono Collaboration Award recognized Chatbot Sophia by Spring ACT in partnership with Ada and Microsoft Azure, a 24/7 anonymous AI chatbot helping domestic violence victims gather evidence and understand their rights safely.

The ceremony also featured the inaugural Robotics for Good Youth Challenge, with over 7,500 participants from 40 countries competing in disaster response solutions. Venezuela won the junior category while Brazil took the senior category. Additionally, an AI for Good Film Festival award was presented to “Souls of the Shipwreck” for its innovative use of AI-generated visuals combined with human creativity. The event demonstrated how AI technology can be harnessed as a force for positive social impact across healthcare, environmental protection, economic development, and creative expression.

Keypoints

**Major Discussion Points:**

– **AI for People Impact Award**: Recognition of AI-driven solutions that improve lives, advance education, and enhance health and well-being, with three finalists: FetalSense (fetal monitoring system for rural areas), Hera (WhatsApp chatbot for refugee women’s healthcare), and iNCLUDE (AI platform for people with disabilities to access digital content)

– **AI for Planet Impact Award**: Celebration of AI solutions driving sustainability and environmental protection, featuring Smart Catch (fisheries management), Farm Assist (soil health analysis), and Quartz Solar AI (solar generation forecasting using cloud movement prediction)

– **AI for Prosperity Impact Award**: Highlighting AI innovations that create economic opportunities and foster inclusive growth, including mine clearance prioritization, community-led mapping tools, and FarmerChat for agricultural advice

– **Pro Bono Collaboration Impact Award**: Recognition of partnerships between tech companies and nonprofits, featuring Chatbot Sophia (domestic violence support), Defense AI (Amazon deforestation prevention), and Lex8 (asylum appeal generator)

– **Robotics for Good Youth Challenge**: A global competition involving over 7,500 participants from 40 countries, with junior and senior categories, focusing on disaster response solutions and announcing the next theme of food security

**Overall Purpose:**

The discussion centers around an AI for Good awards ceremony hosted by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), aimed at recognizing and celebrating AI innovations that address global challenges across three main categories: People, Planet, and Prosperity. The event also includes youth robotics competitions and film festivals, all designed to showcase how AI can be used as a force for positive social impact.

**Overall Tone:**

The tone is celebratory and enthusiastic throughout, with host LJ Rich maintaining an upbeat, sometimes humorous demeanor despite technical difficulties and script issues. The atmosphere is formal yet warm, with genuine appreciation for the innovations being presented. The tone remains consistently positive and encouraging, even when dealing with live event challenges, creating an atmosphere of celebration around technological innovation for social good.

Speakers

**Speakers from the provided list:**

– **LJ Rich** – Event host/presenter

– **Bilel Jamoussi** – Deputy Director of the Telecommunications Standardization Bureau at the ITU

– **Aditya Kulkarni** – Co-founder of CareNX Innovations from India

– **Aral Surmeli** – Dr., Founder of HERA Digital Health

– **Kartik Sawhney** – Co-founder of iSTEM

– **Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava** – Dr., Telecommunication Development Bureau Director

– **Lan Xue** – Distinguished Professor and Dean at Schwarzman College Tsinghua University

– **Moses Samanhyia** – Co-founder and CEO of Soil Solutions Ghana

– **Dan Travers** – Representative from Open Climate Fix

– **Abby Daniell** – Award presenter

– **Kevin White** – Award presenter

– **Leen D’hondt** – Director of Technology at the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap team (HOT)

– **Jacek Siadkowski** – Representative from Tech to the Rescue

– **Takuo Imagawa** – His Excellency Dr., Vice Minister for International Affairs of Japan

– **Michaela A. Tanaski Holland** – Emmy Award-winning and Peabody-nominated director

– **Video 1** – UNOPS representative (mine action)

– **Video 2** – Representative discussing Sophia chatbot for domestic violence

– **Video 3** – SIDLabs representative discussing Defense AI for Amazon protection

– **Video 4** – WorldFish representative discussing Smart Catch AI solution

– **Video 5** – Robotics for Good Youth Challenge promotional content

– **Speaker** – Film festival judge (unidentified)

**Additional speakers:**

– **Seizo Onoe** – Director of the Telecommunications Standardization Bureau (TSB)

– **Hamza** – Representative from WorldFish (mentioned in video content)

# AI for Good Impact Awards 2024: Summary Report

## Executive Overview

The AI for Good Impact Awards ceremony, hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and presented by LJ Rich, celebrated artificial intelligence solutions addressing global challenges across four award categories. Despite technical difficulties throughout the event, which Rich handled with humor and professionalism, the ceremony maintained an enthusiastic atmosphere while showcasing innovations in healthcare, environmental protection, economic development, and creative expression. The event also featured the inaugural Robotics for Good Youth Challenge and AI for Good Film Festival.

## Award Categories and Winners

### AI for People Impact Award

**Winner: FetalSense by CareNX Innovations**

Bilel Jamoussi explained that the system “enables early detection of fetal distress in rural areas without specialist doctors.” Co-founder Aditya Kulkarni described how their “AI-powered fetal monitoring transforms maternal healthcare by making it accessible and affordable,” with plans to reach one million pregnancies by 2026.

**Finalists:**

– **Hera** by Dr. Aral Surmeli’s team: A WhatsApp chatbot supporting refugee women’s healthcare access. Surmeli noted that “if you put all the displaced people together as a country, they would have the worst health outcomes of any country in the world” because “health care systems are designed for people who are born and die in the same place, not for people who have to move.”

– **nCLUDE** by Kartik Sawhney: Addressing digital accessibility for people with disabilities. Sawhney provided the analogy: “Imagine visiting New York City, but only being allowed to experience Times Square. That’s what digital access feels like for millions,” highlighting that “over 96% of digital content is inaccessible to assistive technologies.”

### AI for Planet Impact Award

**Winner: Smart Catch by WorldFish**

Distinguished Professor Lan Xue explained how it “integrates fisheries data with AI models to optimise vessel routes and enhance catch reporting.” The solution demonstrated impact across five nations, preventing overfishing through real-time data management systems.

**Finalists:**

– **Farm Assist by Soil Solutions Ghana**: Moses Samanhyia described how the system “analyses soil health using satellite imagery and machine learning for regenerative farming,” serving over 55,000 farmers and reducing assessment time from weeks to seconds.

– **Quartz Solar AI by Open Climate Fix**: Dan Travers explained their “cloud casting model predicts satellite images over three hours to improve renewable energy integration,” representing innovation in solar generation forecasting.

### AI for Prosperity Impact Award

**Winner: FarmerChat by Digital Green**

Kevin White described the solution as providing “personalised agriculture advice to improve small-scale livelihoods” for smallholder farmers globally.

**Finalists:**

– **AI Lifecycle Support for mine clearance**: Using geospatial analysis and satellite imagery to prioritize mine clearance operations, with the principle that AI “supports, never replaces, human decision-making, building trust and ensuring safety.”

– **Community-led AI-assisted mapping by Humanitarian OpenStreetMap**: Leen D’hondt explained their work developing “geospatial responsible AI, FAIR, which combines open imagery and open geo AI models with humans in the loop,” mapping 21,000 sq km for flood risk assessments benefiting over 10,000 people.

### Pro Bono Collaboration Impact Award

**Winner: Chatbot Sophia by Spring ACT**

A partnership with Ada and Microsoft Azure, described by Jacek Siadkowski as providing “24/7 anonymous AI support for domestic violence victims.” The solution has had 41,000 conversations in 172 countries.

**Finalists:**

– **Defense AI for Amazon protection**: Providing real-time alerts to detect illegal activities in the Peruvian Amazon, helping rangers intercept logging crews before trees are cut down.

– **Lex8 asylum appeal generator**: Enabling lawyers to draft human rights appeals in 30 seconds and file 10 times more cases, improving access to legal representation for asylum seekers in Switzerland.

## Robotics for Good Youth Challenge

The inaugural challenge brought together 7,500 participants in 1,200 teams from 40 countries. Results showed Nepal receiving high commendation in the junior category, Venezuela winning the junior category, and Brazil securing the senior category victory.

His Excellency Dr. Takuo Imagawa, Vice Minister for International Affairs of Japan, provided cultural context by introducing the concept of “Takumi”: “In Japan, we have a word, Takumi. It refers to the spirit of craftsmanship, dedication to refining one’s skills with heart and precision. Today, we saw the same spirit reflected in your work.” He emphasized that “this contest is more than just a competition. It is a celebration of all young minds coming together, believing in your potential, challenging limitations, and learning from one another.”

LJ Rich announced that the 2025-2026 edition will focus on food security themes and expand to 60 countries.

## AI for Good Film Festival

The inaugural film festival celebrated human creativity enhanced by artificial intelligence. Emmy Award-winning and Peabody-nominated director Michaela A. Tanaski Holland explained that the festival “celebrates human creativity boosted by artificial intelligence.”

The winning film, “Souls of the Shipwreck,” was described by a festival judge as portraying a “hauntingly beautiful journey through afterlife with AI-generated visuals.”

## Technical Challenges and Ceremony Atmosphere

Throughout the event, LJ Rich acknowledged various technical difficulties with characteristic humor and professionalism, maintaining audience engagement despite audio issues, video playback problems, and other live event challenges. Some award winners were unable to attend in person, with Rich noting that awards would be delivered to them later.

## Key Themes

Several recurring themes emerged from the presentations:

– **Human-centered design**: Multiple speakers emphasized AI as a supportive tool rather than replacement for human decision-making

– **Accessibility and inclusion**: Solutions focused on serving underserved populations including rural communities, refugees, and people with disabilities

– **Community involvement**: Emphasis on developing AI with the communities it serves

– **Global reach**: Solutions demonstrated impact across multiple countries and diverse populations

## Future Directions

The ceremony established concrete next steps including the expanded robotics challenge and continued recognition of AI innovations addressing global challenges. The ITU booth at the venue showcased the official robotics competition field, providing hands-on engagement opportunities for attendees.

## Conclusion

Despite technical challenges, the AI for Good Impact Awards successfully showcased diverse AI applications addressing critical global challenges. The combination of technical innovation with community-focused approaches, exemplified through both the award winners and the significant youth engagement in the robotics challenge, demonstrated AI’s potential as a force for positive social change when developed with appropriate human oversight and community involvement.

LJ Rich: Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? I wonder what they did. I wonder if they actually had, like, physical fighting, or whether they were able to have, like, a civil. Well, it’s the United Nations, isn’t it? They’re probably having a nice chat. That’s lovely. Okay, so we had four judges and three finalists for each category. And these projects have been evaluated against clear criteria. Innovation, impact, sustainability, and ethics by design, and contribution to global challenges. It’s not just about technology. It’s about meaningful, responsible solutions that help shape a better future for us all. So, let’s get started, shall we? Please join me in welcoming to the stage the most incredible person, Dr. Bilal Jamusi, Deputy Director of the Telecommunications Standardization Bureau at the ITU. Hello. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Bilel Jamoussi: Thank you, LJ, and good afternoon. It’s really my honor to present the AI for People Impact Award. This category recognizes the AI-driven solutions that improve lives, advance education, promote quality, and enhance health and well-being. Our three finalists are FetalSense by CareNX Innovations, a patented fetal monitoring system enabling early detection of fetal distress in real time, especially in rural areas and low-resource settings without specialist doctors. The second is Hera by Hera Digital Health. It’s a WhatsApp chatbot co-created with refugee communities that enhance healthcare access and autonomy for refugee women through personalized, culturally sensitive, and support and health record management. And the third one is. Included by iSTEM, an AI-powered platform that enables people with disability to access digital content, career guidance, and essential services through a voice-first, inclusive experience across WhatsApp, IVR, and web. The winner will be announced by Dr. Zavazava, the Telecommunication Development Bureau Director. But first, let’s discover the inspiring work of our three finalists through the short videos they have prepared to present their solutions.

Aditya Kulkarni: Hi, I’m Aditya Kulkarni, co-founder of CareNX Innovations from India. At CareNX, we are transforming maternal health care by making foetal monitoring accessible, affordable, and AI-powered, even in the most remote areas. Every year, millions of women lack access to specialist care during pregnancy. Our AI-enabled Fetosense device empowers general physicians to screen high-risk pregnancies early, reducing complications and saving lives.

Bilel Jamoussi: Fetosense analyzes foetal heart patterns in real-time, supporting frontline decision-making and referrals without needing a gynecologist on-site. With support from UNICEF and now the AI for Good community, we aim to reach 1 million pregnancies by 2026. Together, we can ensure safe motherhood for every woman, everywhere. CareNX Innovations, AI for every mother. If you put all the displaced people together as a country, they would have the worst health outcomes of any country in the world.

Aral Surmeli: This is because health care systems are designed for people who are born and die in the same place, not for people who have to move. I started working on HERA after a refugee woman bled out in my ambulance because she didn’t know she could get pregnancy care. I’m Dr. Aral Sourmeli. I’m the founder of HERA Digital Health. I’m Dr. Aral Sourmeli. I’m the founder of HERA Digital Health. We use AI to connect refugee women and children with health care they need. HERA is an open-source digital health platform that helps refugees access care across languages, countries, or even health care systems. We have already reached 300,000 refugee women and we are rising antenatal care appointments, immunization rates, and clinical care access.

Kartik Sawhney: We co-create the refugee… Hi, I’m Karthik, co-founder of iSTEM, a platform built by and for people with disabilities to unlock access to education and employment in India. Today, over 20 million people with disabilities are unemployed, costing the Indian economy more than $112 billion every year. A major reason? Over 96% of digital content, including learning platforms, job portals, and government services are inaccessible to assistive technologies. Imagine visiting New York City, but only being allowed to experience Times Square. That’s what digital access feels like for millions. Our AI-powered platform, nCLUDE, is changing this. It converts inaccessible content into accessible formats, helps users explore careers through stories of people like them, shares relevant government schemes, and includes a voice-powered agent to navigate even the most inaccessible websites. Already over 25,000 people have used our platform. They’ve converted over 1.5 million pages, supported 10,000-plus job applications, and integrated with Sogambhya Bharat, India’s national app for persons with disabilities. At iSTEM, we’re building a world where everyone can learn, work, and thrive, with dignity and on their own terms. Join us in making digital access a basic right, not a privilege.

Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava: Okay, I think we’ll step forward a bit. And now it’s a pleasure to invite to the stage Dr. Cosmas Zavadzava, who will announce the winner. Come on up. Hi. Ladies and gentlemen, can we acknowledge all the three finalists? It is my honor and pleasure to say that all the finalists were running neck and neck, and we measured the necks, they are all equal. There is only one that he made a nose ahead, and this is Photosense by KINX Innovations. Congratulations.

LJ Rich: Thank you very much, and congratulations to Care NX Innovations. We are now going to turn to our next category. She’s here. They’re all here. Let’s do this again, shall we? Let’s get the music. Let’s give you a proper one. Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, and everyone, it’s a little bit late, isn’t it? Yes, well done! There you go. I should give that to you. Come over here, please. Move over here so we can get a lovely picture of you. The first one is always a little bit strange, but then the next one will be better. You’re not strange. I’m strange. Okay, congratulations. Come on up. Yes, this one. There we go. We got there in the end, everybody. Thank you for your patience, and congratulations. There we go. All right. Thank you so much as well. Thank you, everybody. All right. What you just saw there was a live rehearsal for the next three awards, and I thought that went Very well. What did you think? It was great. It was. It was great, wasn’t it? OK, so let’s go on to our next awards, which is, let’s see. Who am I inviting? I’ve got a different name up here. OK, that’s all right. We’ve done that one. Just talk amongst yourselves for a second. OK, so this is the next one here. Yes. OK, lovely. All right, so thank you. And congratulations to CareNX Innovations. And we now turn to our next category, AI for Planet. Yes, please welcome to the stage Distinguished Professor and Dean at Schwarzman College Tsinghua University, Luan Xue. Are you here? Yes, he’s here. Yes. So are you getting the award? Hi there, thank you so much. It’s a pleasure to see you. I just want to say congratulations. Congratulations. Yes, would you like to be at the next one? Would you like to? Yes, wrap up. OK, the director will, he can come here for the photo. OK, all right, if you would please read the script there, if that’s OK. Thank you. Thank you, LJ. Oh, there’s a microphone. Thank you, LJ. The AI for Planet Impact Award recognizes AI solutions,

Lan Xue: driving sustainability, protecting ecosystems, and building a greener future. This year’s finalists show how AI can be a powerful tool for environmentalist stewardship and climate resilience. Our three outstanding finalists are Smart Catch, AI-powered sustainability suite by WorldFish, a suite that integrates fisheries data with advanced AI models and to optimize vessel routes, enhance catch reporting, and support climate smart management of small-scale fisheries. The second, Farm Assist by Soil Solutions Ghana, an AI-powered platform that analyzes soil health and land Using satellite imagery and machine learning to deliver tailored recommendations for regenerative farming and climate resilience agriculture Quartz solar ai cloud casting by open climate fix An AI solution designed to enhance the accuracy of solar generation Generation forecasts using an open source AI models that predicts cloud net movement Let’s take a closer. Look at how this finalists applying AI to protect our planet A

Moses Samanhyia: Cross Africa land degradation and poor say or threatens the future of food systems and rural livelihood Farmer struggle to know when or how to restore their soil especially As climate change makes traditional knowledge on reliable a cell solutions Ghana, we created from assist an AI powered platform that uses satellite imagery and machine learning to assess So your health detects land degradation and delivered tailored recommendation for regenerative farming and climate resilience agriculture I am with dementia the co-founder and CEO of cell solution based in Ghana Our mission is to empower farmers with the tools to heal their land and secure their livelihood today farm assist says over 55,000 farmers Reducing the time to a crystal inside and farm extension supports for weeks to second

Video 4: Fish stocks are vanishing due to overfishing which is caused by lack of data and guesswork Meet the AI power sustainability suite smart catch to verify every fish catch photo Smart road to avoid overfishing and ask that To answer policy questions in any local language all in real time. I’m Hamza from more fish We are building open source AI models, which are based on fish data management systems So the government can manage small-scale fisheries in a sustainable way Our data management system are already streaming catch and GPS data across five Asian and African nations by delivering Life accurate policy actions. Our AI solution is set to prevent overfishing local community consent open source license and Gender-balanced ethics sports keep the data fair transparent and all for the public good

Dan Travers: Open climate fix is developing a brand new innovation in the field of AI for weather forecasting Which is forecasting cloud movements from satellite imagery AI is at the heart of everything we do at open climate fix. We have some of the leading engineers and we spent literally years downloading terabytes of data which we process through our algorithms. Our cloud casting model takes in 11 different spectral channels and tries to predict the satellite image as it will progress or develop over the next three hours. This is a field that has never been done before and fills a really important gap for forecasting renewable energy, making it easier to integrate more solar energy onto the grid. This allows grid operators globally to run the grid more efficiently and for off-grid solar to be more predictable. Amazing.

LJ Rich: So many worthy finalists and I now invite Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava who will announce the winner. Ladies and gentlemen, it is a real challenge because all these applications are fantastic. Can we thank the finalists?

Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava: The AI for Planet Award goes to WorldFish for their smart cage solution. Congratulations.

LJ Rich: Congratulations to WorldFish. Congratulations. Unfortunately, the winner couldn’t attend the ceremony but we will make sure that the award goes to them. And now it’s time to move to our next award, which is AI for Prosperity. Thank you so much for holding the award. That was quite heavy, wasn’t it? It’s like you get a workout in. It’s heavy work, this awards business. Thank you ever so much. Okay, next we have the AI for Prosperity Award. We’re going to welcome Abby Daniel and Kevin White up. Please, will you come up? Finally, we celebrate innovation that drives prosperity, creating economic opportunity, enhancing resilience, fostering inclusive growth, and contributing to safer, more stable communities.

Abby Daniell: These AI-powered solutions help advance social progress, support livelihoods, and promote peace and inclusion. Thank you so much. We are proud to present the AI for Prosperity Impact Award. Our three outstanding finalists have developed impactful projects that use AI to support sustainable development and social progress. They are AI Lifecycle Support for Mine Action by UNOPS. It’s an AI Solution that prioritizes mine clearance and assesses the development impact of cleared

Kevin White: land through geospatial analysis and satellite imagery-based object detection. Second, we have the community-led, AI-assisted mapping suite by Humanitarian Open Street Map Team. It’s an AI-assisted mapping tool that uses open imagery, community input to rapidly generate local maps for improving and saving lives. And Farmer Chat by Digital Green. It’s a scalable AI platform that improves small-scale livelihoods and resilience by providing personalized, timely, and localized agriculture advice. So let’s see the videos, I think. Long after war ends, hidden explosives remain, turning everyday tasks into deadly risks.

LJ Rich: We’re working to change that, using AI to analyze decades of data so that our teams can clear land faster and more safely. AI sees what we can’t, guiding deminers to the most hazardous areas first, and helping us measure the impact of our work.

Video 1: At UNOPS, we build the practical foundations for lasting peace and prosperity in some of the world’s most challenging environments. In mine action, AI helps us speed up the return of farmland, reopen roads to schools, and help families rebuild. Guided by the principles of Do No Harm, our AI supports, never replaces, human decision-making, building trust, ensuring safety, and helping us clear the path for communities to thrive.

Leen D’hondt: And it’s hard to provide aid after a disaster, or to know where to provide services like clean water or waste removal, causing human suffering or loss of life. We are addressing this by developing a geospatial responsible AI, FAIR, which combines open imagery and open geo AI models with humans in the loop. I am Leen Dons, Director of Technology at the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap team, or HOT. We promote open geospatial data and tools that support local solutions for humanitarian response and community development. In partnership with Nakuru City, Kenya, we used geo AI to map an area of 21,000 sq. km. This data was community validated and used to develop flood risk assessments that now guide mitigation efforts and benefit more than 10,000 people. At HOT, we believe AI must be inclusive, open, and built with the people it serves. Millions of smallholder farmers around the world face dynamic market and climate shocks, poor yields, and limited access to timely advice. And there simply aren’t enough extension agents to meet their evolving needs. That’s why we built FarmerChat, an AI assistant for farmers. With FarmerChat, we’re building tools that meet farmers where they are, and help them get to where they want to be. And now it’s time to invite on stage TSB director Seizo Onoe-san to present the award to the winner. Please will you come up on stage? Thank you.

LJ Rich: Thank you LJ. These projects show how AI can help build resilient economies and communities and promote prosperity.

Lan Xue: The AI for Prosperity Award goes to Permachart by Digital Green. Congratulations. Thank you. I’ll swap that with you.

LJ Rich: Yes, that’s great. I think they’re going to come up. Congratulations to Digital Green. I’m not sure if they’re able to collect the awards, so we’re going to again make sure that that gets to them as well. Okay. Another round of applause is absolutely fine at this point. Thank you. Thank you so much. We’ll look after that. Thank you Onoe-san. Appreciate it. You’re welcome to stay up on here if you would like to. I think we could just find out to make sure. But we will stand together. Should we stand together? Do you need to? Oh yes. Would you like to come back up? You’re welcome to stay here. Right now, ladies and gentlemen, we just have a small technical hitch with the script in case that wasn’t obvious. So I really appreciate your patience and understanding because this is actually my favorite award ceremony of all time. I’ve actually done ones before where I’ve announced the winner and they just kept doing the opening voiceover. So this is going as well as we can. Thank you. Yes, I think we’re going to let our people come back up. Thank you. Thank you so much. We will get there in the end everybody. All right. Well, congratulations to the digital green We’re going to turn to the final part of today’s impact awards the pro bono

Jacek Siadkowski: Collaboration impact award so it’s time to invite on stage Jacek Siadkowski. Would you like to come on up? When we started Tech to the Rescue we thought there are just too many great impact-driven organizations with proven social interventions and Too many of them lack technology talent to actually build solutions that could take those interventions from community to society Since then we facilitated over 1,000 pro bono collaborations where tech companies and nonprofits build impact together Today, I have a big pleasure to announce the first ever AI for Good pro bono collaboration awards to celebrate partnerships where tech companies and impact-driven organizations Co-create and implement AI solutions that drive meaningful change for people prosperity and planets Big thank you to our judges Mary Jacques Christopher Fabian and dr Najwa array for our for your time expertise and wisdom to help us pick the best possible finalists our three remarkable finalists are chatbot Sophia by spring act in partnership with ADA and Microsoft Azure a 24-7 anonymous AI chatbot helping people affected by domestic violence gather evidence Understand their rights and explore safe options all without leaving a digital trace Second one is the fence AI by seed labs in partnership with Sociedad, Peruana Tederejo Ambienta SPDA an AI powered solution that helps detect and prevent environmental crimes in the Peruvian Amazon by delivering real impact low-cost alerts and analytics to NGOs citizens and authorities The third one is Lex 8 AI powered a sedium appeal generator by seed labs in partnership with Silex an AI power tool that streamlines a sedium appeals in Switzerland by generating tailored locally grounded drafts for a sedium seekers reviewed by attorneys and ready for submission These partnerships show how AI can truly be a force of good when technology meets purpose. The impact is just Extraordinary, so let’s hear from our finalists here

Video 2: You Tried to call but he walked back into the room every night one in three women live in fear trapped in homes that should be safe Most will never tell a soul What in help could whisper back? We created Sophia the first AI allies for people affected by domestic violence She’s confidential multilingual and always awake Sophia helps recognize the signs of abuse Learn your rights and find support. She protects every story with a digital safe that leaves no trace and helps gather potential evidence. Sophia has had 41,000 conversations in 172 countries, and this is only the beginning. When AI is used for good, nobody will have to suffer in silence. One whisper, one message, one life at a time. This is what AI is meant to do.

Video 3: Every month in Peru’s Amazon, hundreds of hectares vanish before anyone sounds the alarm. By the time reports arrive, the trees are gone. We built a faster way. Defense plus AI ingests satellite alerts, news feeds, even radio transcripts and flags threats in. Real time, not 30 days. We are SIDLabs online LLP New Delhi with our collaborator and partner SPDA. We give Rangers a head start. In our pilot, Rangers intercepted two logging crews before the first tree fell. That’s hectares saved, carbon locked and communities protected. Bold ideas, responsible AI, a safer Amazon.

Video 4: Millions of refugees worldwide face severe human rights violations such as gender based violence or torture with no legal protection. With SIDLabs, we’ve built an AI tool that drafts human rights appeals, making justice accessible for those who need it most. For a refugee, justice can cost 25,000 Swiss francs and take three long weeks, time and money they don’t have. Most appeals never even leave the folder, so we built an answer. Lexate is our AI powered legal assistant. It reads your case file, checks Swiss and United Nations law and drafts a human rights appeal in just 30 seconds. We are SIDLabs online LLP from New Delhi with our pro bono partners, ACLEX. We supercharged lawyers. Lawyers can now file 10 times more cases.

LJ Rich: Families can get safety minutes after crossing a border. Here, bold ideas meet responsible AI to defend every human right. Contact us for pro bono consultation. And as you can see, we are slowly collecting amazing people up on the stage. So let’s invite somebody else up. Yes, please will you join me in welcoming TSB director once more, the amazing Seizo Ono-san to present the Pro Bono Collaboration Award to the winner. Thank you. Oh, you have a headset. You have a headset mic on. Yeah, yeah. Nice. Upgrades. Can you hear me? Working? Yes. Oh, OK. OK. OK. OK. OK. OK.

Lan Xue: And the winner of the Pro Bono Collaboration Award is… Chatbot Sophia by Spring ACT in partnership with Ada and Microsoft Azure Congratulations!

LJ Rich: Thank you, thank you so much Onoe-san, you’re absolutely brilliant and congratulations to our winner where we can have a photograph Would you like to come for the photograph? Do you want to be in the photograph? Congratulations everyone Actually, why don’t we invite all of our winners, judges, finalists and the executive officers to the stage Let’s make it a party everybody for a final group photograph Come on up to the stage everyone please Would you like to join for a photo? And the finalists as well, our other finalists Whereabouts are our other finalists and winners? Please come on up, this might take a little while but that’s okay The music is good, we’re all having quite a lot of fun Here we go, thank you so much everybody Audience, you are fantastic Avi, you have been phenomenal as well We got through a technical hitch there, really appreciate it Should we move this way? I think we can squeeze in a little bit We can squeeze in Right, can everybody see the camera? Oh, we’ve got some more people, come on in At some point we’ll just have the entire audience join us on the stage There we go Have we got everybody? Yes? I’ll just check with our lovely photographers Wide mode Wonderful, thank you, thank you Okay Alright Thank you very much everybody I think you can enjoy All right. Thank you so much. You are all able to relax now. You’ll be relieved to hear. That was excellent. Audience, you were brilliant. Guests, you were absolutely fantastic. And, of course, we have got another awards ceremony. And this time, it’s going to be even more crazy because I think children are involved. And that’s what they say. They say don’t work with children or animals. And I say, no, I’m absolutely more than happy to do all of that. So, let’s go to the most exciting part of our event. Well, actually, you know what? That last part was pretty exciting as well, wasn’t it? It’s all been good. Thanks for flying with us here at AI for Good. And it’s time for the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge. Oh, yes, let’s have a little. Yes, absolutely. You might be hearing the sound of sleep deprivation mixed with ingenuity over the past few days. We have witnessed an inspiring showcase of innovation, collaboration, and impact. This challenge has brought together people from around the world who are using technology, not just to compete, but to create solutions that matter. We’re talking over 7,500 participants, 1,200 teams, and 40 countries represented. And we supported this with 25 national events. It has become the place to be for youth-driven innovation in robotics. I think that’s incredible that we are encouraging young people in technology. So, it is a great honor to welcome a distinguished guest who represents a country that has shown remarkable commitment to this worthy theme. So, please join me in welcoming His Excellency Dr. Takuo Imagawa, Vice Minister for International Affairs of Japan. We’re sincerely grateful for Japan’s generous support, which has helped make this global gathering possible and has empowered so many young people here in Geneva today. I would like to also invite onto the stage once more, you’ve seen him once, you’ve seen him again, we’re going to have him a third time. It’s the Director of the Telecommunications Standardization Bureau, Seizo Onoe-san, to present the award to the winner. Seizo Onoe, Tomas Lamanauskas, Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, LJ Rich Thank you. Following five qualifying rounds and a thrilling elimination stage, it’s time to celebrate the winners of this, the first ever Robotics for Good Youth Challenge. And we’re going to have the junior category, we’re going to announce the junior category are, hang on, in a slight change to what I can see over there. We are going to have four awards instead of two. We have a highly commended and a winner for both junior and senior categories. And so we’re going to start with the junior category. And this is the junior category. Oh, my goodness. This is breaking news, everybody. So I’m going to tell you the country of the junior category winner, and then we’re going to have the announcement of the winner from you. Can you read that writing there? We’ll just check first, because it looks like a doctor has written this handwriting, ladies and gentlemen. So I’m going to announce the highly commended, but first, before I do that, just to build tension, I think, could you please cut my microphone so I can, in fact, whisper the winner so that we don’t have to decipher the handwriting. Is that OK with you? All right. So I think I’ll do the conditional disperse first, and then I’ll do the remaining ones, and then I will do… Okay, so you would mention second, and you can mention first. Okay, so for the highly commended junior category, we’re going to ask you to please announce our junior category. Highly commended. Please join us on stage if you are from the country… Nepal. Yes. Very good. Then we’ll do the winner, which you can do. Thank you. Come on up, Nepal. Do we have the winner from Nepal to get the highly commended trophy? Are they coming? I can’t see. Are they? Amazing. Come on up to the stage. So this one is the silver junior. So if you want to present… Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Carrying more and more things. Okay. Congratulations. Excellent. Come up on stage. Congratulations. Squeeze into the middle, everybody. Congratulations. Squeeze in. Do you want to come and stand next to us as well? It feels like you should. Okay. We’ll have… Yes, go to the other side. This is brilliant. All right. Squeeze in, please. It’s a big team and a small stage, so let’s just make sure that that looks good. Our minister here. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you very much to our highly commended, it’s a quick one, so if I could ask you please to go back, and then we’re going to do our gold award after that, congratulations everybody, brilliant. Okay, so it’s now time for the winner of the junior category, if that makes sense. So we’ve just had the highly commended junior category, and so we’re now going to the winner of the junior category, are we ready? And the winner is… Venezuela! Venezuela, come on up! Thank you for doing so well. Yes, it’s that one, it’s that one. Well done, well done, please come up and get your award, well done, congratulations. Okay, just thank you, congratulations, well done. We’ll put you over here, we’ll come over here, that’s a picture, there we go, very nice. Venezuela! Okay. Lovely. Thank you. Okay.

Takuo Imagawa: It’s time to move along, I’m afraid, because we have two surprise extra awards here. Thank you, congratulations, well done.

LJ Rich: Amazing! And the vexillologists among you would have been very happy that they corrected the way that their flag was going. Alright, let’s go on to our senior silver category, the highly commended, which is here. Oh, hang on. South Korea. This is like awards hosting 101, isn’t it? I shouldn’t say the name. Okay, so what we’re going to do is we have two highly commended and we’re running out of time as well. So we’re going to do them both at the same time. I think it’s just to move them along. The second is, you can say it loudly now. First, Korea. Yes, and, yes, and first is Brazil. Brazil. Brazil is first. Thank you. I’m so sorry about that. Okay, so you have… In the centre, yeah. Okay. Come, come, come. Thank you. Congratulations, everybody. It’s been a pleasure. Well done for your highly commended. And please, can we have our winners of the senior category, please? Will you come and join us, Brazil? Thank you very much. Thank you so much for your amazing work. Come on up. Thank you. Well done. Other way round. Congratulations. Lovely. Okay, yes, that’s amazing. Thank you, thank you so much. Well done. Thank you. Oh, you’re gonna go this way? Thank you. Thank you so much. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. I won’t shake your hand. You have your hands full. Thank you. Oh, goodness. Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for our amazing judges as well. Well, not judges, award presenters. You’ve done brilliantly. Thank you. OK, well, that went well. Now, looking ahead, we’re excited to announce the 2025 to 2026 edition of the Robotics Be Good Youth Challenge will take on the theme of food security. It’s a pressing. Yes, it’s good, isn’t it?

Video 5: It’s a pressing global issue that calls for bold innovation. ITU’s AI for Good is empowering the next generation of tech innovators through the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge. This United Nations challenge launched under the theme of disaster response. Sponsored by the United Nations, the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge. These national Olympics allowed young people to demonstrate their skills in robotics and programming after months of hard teamwork. The youth in this competition can come up with robotics that can give early warning systems on what are those disasters that are coming. Yeah, with what we learned, we simply raised and I would put a disaster. Over 7,500 youth formed 1,200 teams from 25 national and regional events to design robotics solution for disaster response. It’s more than an educational competition. It’s a global movement. Next year, the competition is growing. It will now feature participants from over 50 different countries, all tackling the new global challenge, food security. Discover how the next generation are using robotics to build a better future for us all.

LJ Rich: Join the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge. www.roboticsforgoodyouth.org We have forgotten something fundamental and we here at the ITU, AI for Good, we find a problem, we fix a problem. And that slight problem was that we invited somebody really impressive and important up and he just said a couple of words into the microphone and instead we would actually like to hear him speak. So please, will you join me in re-welcoming to the stage His Excellency Dr. Takuo, Vice Minister for International Affairs of Japan, who took so much time out of his day to come and join us. We would like to hear a lot more from him, wouldn’t we? So please join me in welcoming him back to the stage, thank you.

Takuo Imagawa: On behalf of the Japanese government, it’s my great pleasure to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you. Your creativity, technical excellence, and teamwork have truly demonstrated the power of innovation to shape the future. Although not every team could take home the top prize, the courage and the dedication shown by all participants deeply moved us. Your ideas, your passion, and your perseverance are powerful forces that will continue to shape the world. This contest is more than just a competition. It is a celebration of all young minds coming together, believing in your potential, challenging limitations, and learning from one another. As a Japanese government, we are proud to support this initiative that empowers young people to dream boldly, connect globally, and build a better tomorrow through technology. Many countries, including Japan, are facing In these societies, robotics plays a vital role. It promotes automation across various fields and complements the labor force. Your robotics technologies will contribute to building a more sustainable world. In Japan, we have a word, Takumi. It refers to the spirit of craftsmanship, dedication to refining one’s skills with heart and precision. Today, we saw the same spirit reflected in your work. If you allow me a personal remark, my first name is Takuo, which has a similar tone, but means a pioneer. So I’ve always dreamed to become a pioneer like you, and I’m truly honored to be here among such promising talent. Finally, please carry this experience with you as you continue to grow and take on new challenges. Japan stands with you, cheering for your future, and we hope to meet again, perhaps in another celebration of innovation. So congratulations once again. I wish all of you a bright future. Thank you very much. Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you ever so much.

LJ Rich: It’s a real pleasure to hear from somebody who is behind so much innovation for young people, and I think that this is just the best platform for it. OK, so you can get a first look at the official competition field for the Robotics for Youth competition at the ITU booth, which is here at the venue, and we have 60 countries expected to join the next edition. So it’s only getting bigger and bigger, a bit like our venue. And ladies and gentlemen, do you know what I think we should have after two award ceremonies? That’s right. One more award ceremony. Yes, we have another final. It will be short, but it will be worth it, because it is the A. Ivergood Institute. Impact Awards Ceremony, celebrating innovation, creativity, and real-world impact from film to art to technology. So this is a moment to recognize those users. Irakli Beridze, Head of the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute. That’s Unicree, that’s obviously not a contestant, that’s going to be a judge. Okay, next we have Michaela A. Tanaski-Holland, Emmy Award-winning and Peabody-nominated director Reza Seizo Safai, award-winning filmmaker, actor, writer, and co-founder of Massive Studios, Monica Lopez, co-founder and CEO of Cognitive Insights for Artificial Intelligence, Lisa Russell, Emmy-winning filmmaker, AI artist, and founder of Art Envoy AI. Let’s invite all of them up to the stage at once, and it will soon become obvious who is being awarded and who is doing the awarding. Thank you. Will you all come up, please? Thank you. Hi. Hi. Hello. Okay. Who is our first judge? Me. It’s you. Excellent. Here we go.

Michaela A. Tanaski Holland: Thanks, LJ. The AI for Good Film Festival is all about pushing boundaries that are really about celebrating human creativity being boosted and assisted by artificial intelligence. This competition showcases how AI can expand filmmaking and creative thought-provoking storytelling while delivering positive messages about how we can be more ethical, social, and existentially a better community as a whole. So we selected four incredible films out of an incredible amount of entries, and out of those four films, we selected one winner.

Speaker: Thank you. We selected this film as the winner for its hauntingly beautiful and emotionally resonant portrayal of a journey through the afterlife. Through poetic imagery and a dreamlike flow, the film does not rely on dialogue. The story just washes over you like a memory or a vision, drawing you in with a lyrical power and a visual grace. The use of color and technical execution of the entire AI-generated visuals are stunning. enhancing both mood and meaning, while the human-made score, an extraordinary fusion of traditional and contemporary sounds, adds a timeless, global dimension. It’s a film that lingers long after it ends. Thank you. That was beautiful. Okay, Onoe-san, it is over to you to announce the winner. Okay. Oh, you, you, you? Oh, oh, oh, you’re working. Okay, thank you. It’s my honor to announce the winner of the AI for Good Film Festival 2025. Souls of the Shipwreck. Yes, the Souls of the Shipwreck. Well done. Thank you for doing this. Congratulations.

LJ Rich: Here they come. Yes, congratulations. Come on up for a picture. Come on, we’ll take your picture. Congratulations. Come on up. Come on, come on. Well done. Oh, congratulations once again, and congratulations to everybody who was screened. Thank you so much. Quick picture. Okay. Lovely. Okay, you can stay for the picture. We’re going to invite the next thing up in a second. Oh, my screen changed. Okay, are we all good? Yes, excellent. Congratulations, everybody. Thank you, Onoe-san. Thank you, judges, and congratulations to the winner. All right. Incredible work, everybody. Congratulations. Right, it’s time to invite, oh, no. I think we’re going to go straight over to the K-pop. Is that right? Jolly good. Okay, congratulations, everybody, and thank you so much for bearing with us. It’s been a real pleasure. Well done. All right. Now, I know that many of you have probably waited for this next. Thank you very much for your patience.

Agreement points

AI should be human-centered and support rather than replace human decision-making

Speakers

– Video 1
– Leen D’hondt

Arguments

AI supports, never replaces, human decision-making, building trust and ensuring safety

We are addressing this by developing a geospatial responsible AI, FAIR, which combines open imagery and open geo AI models with humans in the loop

Summary

Both speakers emphasize that AI systems should maintain human oversight and decision-making authority, with AI serving as a supportive tool rather than an autonomous replacement for human judgment

Topics

Development | Human rights

AI solutions should be inclusive, open, and community-driven

Speakers

– Leen D’hondt
– Aral Surmeli

Arguments

AI must be inclusive, open, and built with the people it serves

We co-create the refugee…

Summary

Both speakers advocate for AI development that involves the communities it serves, emphasizing participatory design and inclusive approaches to technology development

Topics

Development | Human rights

AI can significantly improve healthcare access for underserved populations

Speakers

– Aditya Kulkarni
– Aral Surmeli
– Bilel Jamoussi

Arguments

AI-powered fetal monitoring transforms maternal healthcare by making it accessible and affordable

Hera chatbot enhances healthcare access for refugee women through personalized support

FetalSense enables early detection of fetal distress in rural areas without specialist doctors

Summary

All speakers agree that AI technology can bridge healthcare gaps for vulnerable populations including rural communities, refugees, and areas with limited medical specialists

Topics

Development | Human rights

Technology should empower young people and foster global innovation

Speakers

– LJ Rich
– Takuo Imagawa
– Video 5

Arguments

Challenge brought together 7,500 participants in 1,200 teams from 40 countries

Japanese government supports initiative empowering young people through technology

Competition demonstrates power of innovation among young minds globally

Summary

All speakers emphasize the importance of engaging youth in technology development and innovation, recognizing their potential to create solutions for global challenges

Topics

Development | Sociocultural

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers advocate for technology that removes barriers and creates more accessible solutions, whether for people with disabilities or for humanitarian response

Speakers

– Kartik Sawhney
– Leen D’hondt

Arguments

nCLUDE platform converts inaccessible content into accessible formats for people with disabilities

Geospatial responsible AI combines open imagery and geo AI models with humans in the loop

Topics

Development | Human rights

Both speakers demonstrate how AI can dramatically improve efficiency and speed in critical sectors – agriculture and renewable energy – through advanced data processing and prediction capabilities

Speakers

– Moses Samanhyia
– Dan Travers

Arguments

Farm Assist serves over 55,000 farmers and reduces assessment time from weeks to seconds

Cloud casting model predicts satellite images over three hours to improve renewable energy integration

Topics

Development | Sustainable development

Both demonstrate how AI can scale access to critical support services – domestic violence assistance and legal aid – making help available to many more people who need it

Speakers

– Video 2
– Video 4

Arguments

Sophia has had 41,000 conversations in 172 countries helping domestic violence victims

Lexate drafts human rights appeals in 30 seconds, enabling lawyers to file 10 times more cases

Topics

Human rights | Development

Unexpected consensus

AI as a tool for environmental protection and climate action

Speakers

– Lan Xue
– Video 3
– Dan Travers

Arguments

Smart Catch integrates fisheries data with AI models to optimize vessel routes and enhance catch reporting

Defense AI helps rangers intercept logging crews before trees are cut down

Cloud casting model predicts satellite images over three hours to improve renewable energy integration

Explanation

There was unexpected consensus on AI’s role in environmental protection across different domains – from preventing overfishing to stopping deforestation to improving renewable energy integration. This shows broad agreement on AI’s potential for environmental stewardship

Topics

Development | Sustainable development

Creative and artistic applications of AI can deliver positive social messages

Speakers

– Michaela A. Tanaski Holland
– Speaker

Arguments

Film festival celebrates human creativity boosted by artificial intelligence

Selected film portrays hauntingly beautiful journey through afterlife with AI-generated visuals

Explanation

Unexpected consensus emerged around AI’s role in creative expression and storytelling as a vehicle for positive social impact, showing agreement that AI can enhance rather than diminish human artistic expression

Topics

Sociocultural | Development

Overall assessment

Summary

Strong consensus exists around AI serving human needs, particularly for underserved populations in healthcare, accessibility, environmental protection, and youth empowerment. Speakers consistently emphasized human-centered design, community involvement, and AI as a supportive rather than replacement technology.

Consensus level

High level of consensus with significant implications for AI development priorities. The agreement suggests a shared vision of AI as a tool for social good that should be inclusive, accessible, and designed with community input. This consensus could guide policy and development frameworks toward more equitable and human-centered AI applications.

Different viewpoints

Unexpected differences

Overall assessment

Summary

No significant disagreements identified in the transcript. This is an awards ceremony where speakers are presenting their AI solutions and announcing winners rather than engaging in debate or discussion.

Disagreement level

Minimal to no disagreement. The format is collaborative and celebratory, with speakers presenting complementary AI solutions addressing different aspects of global challenges (healthcare, environmental protection, accessibility, etc.). The speakers are unified in their goal of using AI for social good, with each solution targeting different problem areas without conflicting approaches or viewpoints.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers advocate for technology that removes barriers and creates more accessible solutions, whether for people with disabilities or for humanitarian response

Speakers

– Kartik Sawhney
– Leen D’hondt

Arguments

nCLUDE platform converts inaccessible content into accessible formats for people with disabilities

Geospatial responsible AI combines open imagery and geo AI models with humans in the loop

Topics

Development | Human rights

Both speakers demonstrate how AI can dramatically improve efficiency and speed in critical sectors – agriculture and renewable energy – through advanced data processing and prediction capabilities

Speakers

– Moses Samanhyia
– Dan Travers

Arguments

Farm Assist serves over 55,000 farmers and reduces assessment time from weeks to seconds

Cloud casting model predicts satellite images over three hours to improve renewable energy integration

Topics

Development | Sustainable development

Both demonstrate how AI can scale access to critical support services – domestic violence assistance and legal aid – making help available to many more people who need it

Speakers

– Video 2
– Video 4

Arguments

Sophia has had 41,000 conversations in 172 countries helping domestic violence victims

Lexate drafts human rights appeals in 30 seconds, enabling lawyers to file 10 times more cases

Topics

Human rights | Development

Key takeaways

AI solutions are making significant impact across three key areas: People (healthcare and accessibility), Planet (environmental sustainability), and Prosperity (economic opportunity and social progress)

Winners demonstrated practical applications: FetalSense for maternal healthcare in rural areas, WorldFish Smart Catch for sustainable fisheries, Digital Green’s FarmerChat for agricultural support, and Chatbot Sophia for domestic violence victims

Pro bono collaborations between tech companies and nonprofits are effectively addressing global challenges through AI solutions

Youth engagement in robotics and AI is crucial for future innovation, with over 7,500 participants from 40 countries demonstrating the global reach of technology education

AI evaluation criteria focus on innovation, impact, sustainability, ethics by design, and contribution to global challenges – emphasizing responsible AI development

Creative applications of AI, including filmmaking, are expanding the boundaries of human creativity while delivering positive social messages

International cooperation and support, particularly from Japan, is essential for empowering young innovators globally

AI solutions are successfully addressing accessibility gaps, with 96% of digital content currently inaccessible to assistive technologies

Resolutions and action items

Awards will be delivered to winners who could not attend the ceremony in person

2025-2026 Robotics for Good Youth Challenge will focus on food security theme

Competition will expand to over 50 countries for the next edition

ITU booth at venue will showcase the official competition field for the Robotics for Youth competition

Continued support from Japanese government for youth innovation initiatives

Ongoing development and scaling of winning AI solutions to reach broader populations

Unresolved issues

Technical difficulties with script and award ceremony logistics that caused delays and confusion

Specific implementation timelines for scaling winning solutions were not detailed

Funding mechanisms for continued development of awarded projects were not discussed

Detailed evaluation criteria and judging process specifics were not fully explained

Long-term sustainability plans for the various AI solutions were not addressed

Suggested compromises

None identified

It’s not just about technology. It’s about meaningful, responsible solutions that help shape a better future for us all.

Speaker

LJ Rich

Reason

This comment reframes the entire awards ceremony from a purely technical competition to a values-driven evaluation of impact. It establishes that innovation must be measured by its contribution to human welfare and global challenges, not just technical sophistication.

Impact

This comment set the philosophical foundation for the entire event, establishing the criteria that would guide all subsequent evaluations – innovation, impact, sustainability, ethics by design, and contribution to global challenges. It elevated the discussion from technical achievements to meaningful social impact.

If you put all the displaced people together as a country, they would have the worst health outcomes of any country in the world. This is because health care systems are designed for people who are born and die in the same place, not for people who have to move.

Speaker

Aral Surmeli

Reason

This powerful observation reframes the refugee health crisis by exposing a fundamental design flaw in healthcare systems. It challenges the assumption that healthcare systems are universally accessible and reveals how mobility creates systemic exclusion.

Impact

This comment provided crucial context for understanding why AI solutions for refugee healthcare are not just helpful but essential. It shifted the conversation from viewing refugee health as a charity issue to recognizing it as a systemic design problem requiring innovative solutions.

Imagine visiting New York City, but only being allowed to experience Times Square. That’s what digital access feels like for millions.

Speaker

Kartik Sawhney

Reason

This analogy brilliantly illustrates the reality of digital exclusion for people with disabilities. It transforms an abstract accessibility issue into a visceral, relatable experience that anyone can understand, making the 96% inaccessibility statistic emotionally resonant.

Impact

This metaphor reframed digital accessibility from a technical compliance issue to a fundamental human rights and economic opportunity question. It helped contextualize why AI solutions for accessibility represent not just inclusion but economic empowerment.

In Japan, we have a word, Takumi. It refers to the spirit of craftsmanship, dedication to refining one’s skills with heart and precision. Today, we saw the same spirit reflected in your work.

Speaker

Takuo Imagawa

Reason

This comment bridges cultural wisdom with technological innovation, suggesting that the ancient values of craftsmanship and dedication are equally relevant in the AI age. It elevates technical work to the level of artisanship and cultural tradition.

Impact

This observation shifted the youth robotics competition from being viewed as merely a technical contest to a celebration of human dedication and cultural values expressed through technology. It connected the participants’ work to broader human traditions of excellence and craftsmanship.

This contest is more than just a competition. It is a celebration of all young minds coming together, believing in your potential, challenging limitations, and learning from one another.

Speaker

Takuo Imagawa

Reason

This reframes the entire youth challenge from a competitive framework to a collaborative learning experience. It emphasizes the process of innovation and connection over winning, highlighting the educational and community-building aspects.

Impact

This comment transformed the perception of the robotics challenge from a zero-sum competition to a positive-sum learning experience, emphasizing global collaboration and mutual learning among young innovators.

Overall assessment

These key comments fundamentally shaped the discussion by consistently elevating it beyond technical demonstrations to deeper questions of human impact, systemic design, and cultural values. The speakers didn’t just present solutions; they reframed problems, challenged assumptions about how systems should work, and connected technological innovation to broader human experiences and values. The most impactful comments used powerful analogies and cultural references to make abstract concepts tangible and emotionally resonant. Together, these insights transformed what could have been a routine awards ceremony into a meaningful exploration of how AI and robotics can address fundamental human challenges while honoring cultural wisdom and collaborative learning.

What specific methods did the judges use to evaluate the projects against the criteria of innovation, impact, sustainability, ethics by design, and contribution to global challenges?

Speaker

LJ Rich

Explanation

The evaluation criteria were mentioned but the specific methodology for assessment was not detailed, which would be important for understanding the judging process and potentially improving future competitions

How will the AI for Good community support CareNX Innovations in reaching their goal of 1 million pregnancies by 2026?

Speaker

Aditya Kulkarni

Explanation

The target was mentioned but the specific support mechanisms and implementation strategy were not elaborated upon

What are the specific technical details and accuracy rates of the cloud movement prediction algorithms used by Open Climate Fix?

Speaker

Dan Travers

Explanation

While the innovation was described as ‘never been done before,’ the technical specifications and performance metrics were not provided

How will the expansion from 25 to 60 countries in the next Robotics for Good Youth Challenge be managed and what support will be provided to new participating countries?

Speaker

LJ Rich

Explanation

The expansion was announced but the logistical and support framework for managing this significant increase was not detailed

What specific measures are in place to ensure the ‘Do No Harm’ principles are maintained in UNOPS AI-assisted mine clearance operations?

Speaker

Video narrator (UNOPS)

Explanation

The principle was mentioned as guiding their work, but the specific safeguards and implementation mechanisms were not explained

How does the community validation process work for the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap team’s AI-assisted mapping, and what quality control measures are in place?

Speaker

Leen D’hondt

Explanation

Community validation was mentioned as part of their process, but the specific methodology and quality assurance protocols were not detailed