AI for Good Impact Initiative

AI for Good Global Summit: Uniting for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future Through Artificial Intelligence

At the AI for Good Global Summit, key figures from around the world gathered to discuss the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event served as a critical forum for examining how technology can be harnessed to address pressing global challenges such as poverty, hunger, education, health, and climate change.

Ebtesam Almazrouei, chair of the AI for Good impact, opened the summit by expressing her commitment to driving the initiative on a global scale. She highlighted the promise of AI in levelling the playing field, improving access to essential services, and fostering inclusivity. Almazrouei emphasised the need for shared computing resources, technological advancements, and inclusive AI governance frameworks to ensure widespread and positive AI benefits.

Princess Beatrice, a strong advocate for education and literacy, spoke on the necessity of integrating AI literacy into educational systems. She passionately discussed the role of technology as a connector for quality education and the urgency of reimagining education systems to be more inclusive and innovative. Princess Beatrice also stressed the importance of role models and collaborative platforms to inspire and engage young people, particularly girls and women, in the field of technology.

Xu Chaofeng from China addressed the challenges faced by developing countries in preparing for the AI era, including the need to bridge the digital divide. He called for responsible collaboration and accountability to ensure that AI manufacturing meets the needs of developing countries and contributes to bridging the new digital divide created by AI.

Werner Vogels, CTO of Amazon, delivered a video message announcing AWS’s partnership with the AI for Good impact initiative. He highlighted the importance of identifying the right data and finding the best people to make decisions, and he expressed excitement about the potential of young innovators to harness AI for social impact.

Amir Banifatemi and Matthieu Maricot announced the creation of the Responsible AI Impact Fund, a fund dedicated to investing in companies that address global problems and accelerate the SDGs. They pledged significant financial support and mentorship for AI projects identified by the AI for Good Impact Initiative, with CIEMA committing 30% of the grant portion of the fund towards these projects.

The session concluded with a collective commitment to fostering collaboration across governments, NGOs, private sectors, and academia. The speakers recognised the vital role of such partnerships in scaling AI for good initiatives and deploying innovative solutions that can accelerate progress towards the SDGs.

The summit underscored the importance of shared resources and inclusive governance to ensure the equitable distribution of AI benefits. It also highlighted the importance of involving young people in the conversation about AI and its impact on their future. The global nature of the summit, with contributions from the UAE, the UK, China, Canada, and other countries, underscored the universal commitment to using AI as a force for good.

In summary, the AI for Good Global Summit showcased a unified vision of harnessing AI to create a more equitable and prosperous future for all. The discussions and announcements made during the summit reflect a global movement towards responsible and inclusive AI that uplifts communities, protects the environment, and leaves no one behind.

Ebtesam Almazrouei:
Thank you, Fred. Your Royal Highness, Your Excellencies, esteemed guests, allow me first to extend my sincere gratitude to the ITU and also to the AI for Good team and especially my special gratitude goes to the Secretary General of ITU, Doreen, for her pivotal role in leading the AI for Good. Now, as the chair of the AI for Good impact, there is huge responsibility, but also I am fully committed to drive the AI for Good impact at a global scale. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the AI for Good Global Summit today. We stand at the crossroads of technology and humanity, where innovation goes for a purpose. When AI for Good began as a vision, it transformed into a mission. Not only that, we need to empower and drive AI for Good to harness the full potential of AI for the betterment of our world. AI holds the promise of leveling the playing field, improving access to essential services, and fostering inclusivity. As we embark together on this journey, let us reflect on the profound impact AI can have across the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. AI for Good tackles pressing issues today, from poverty, hunger, education, health, and also, of course, climate change. It will provide us with the tools that are essential to empower communities to make informed decisions and also drive sustainable development. Let us all ensure that all of these AI benefits reflect a positive impact across all sectors and industries. We need to ensure we have access, as my colleague Fred mentioned earlier, shared computing resources. We need to share our technological advancements with everyone. We need to ensure that we have inclusive AI governance, frameworks, and regulations. And of course, we need to align our efforts and unite our efforts to have capacity building. Ladies and gentlemen, generative AI has opened new possibilities for us, allowing us to envision a world transformed by intelligent systems. Not only that, but also, you can picture a healthcare system where patients can connect with specialists across distance. With generative AI today, we can have early detections for diagnosis and diseases. Also, you can imagine classrooms where you have tailored teaching systems based on our children’s needs in each classroom and in their location in various countries. Today, we are in this pivotal moment that we need to unite our resources. We need to share our breakthroughs, save lives together. It is this an inspiring vision for this humanity to unite with each other. But there is something that we are missing here today. We need AI for good projects, solutions, frameworks, that they are scalable, repeatable, measurable, and also the most important thing, governance of AI. Yesterday, during our first UN Governance Day, we explored the implementation of AI frameworks and how it will evolve. Of course, we explored the implementation and the implementation and how we can the best practices across different countries and also how we can unite our resources together and in ensuring that we have inclusive AI governance frameworks and regulations. One of the key things that was evolved from our discussions yesterday is we need to have responsible collaboration. We need to ensure accountability. We need to ensure inclusivity. By these principles that stood out as essential to have a collective success. Why is our collaboration essential? Because there is no single entity, being a government, corporation, or even research institute, can tackle these challenges alone. We should amplify the impact of AI across all the United States, we should amplify the impact of AI across all the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals transcending borders and boundaries together. Let us commit to fostering collaboration that spans disciplines and sectors. Let us also act across all the SDGs, knowing that progress in one area reverberates through others. Let us harness AI not just a tool but as a force for good. A force that uplifts communities, protects our environment, and leaves no one behind. Collaboration among governments, NGOs, private sectors, academia is vital to scaling AI for good initiatives and deploying innovative solutions that can accelerate progress toward the SDGs. By uniting our resources, our collective expertise, we can ensure a more equitable and prosperous future for all of us. Let us ignite hope, inspire innovation, and drive AI toward the future where its impact is truly for the greater good. Together, we can create a world where technology uplifts humanity and fosters a brighter future for all of us. Thank you.

Frederic Werner:
Thank you, Dr. Hettesam, and thank you for sharing your vision and having the energy and commitment to help move this forward. So, I would like to introduce our next speaker, Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice, for a fireside chat with Dr. Hettesam. And Princess Beatrice, she’s a strong advocate of education and literacy, and we would like to discuss basically how we can make AI literacy more mainstream and what kind of education system and resources are needed to make that happen. Princess, welcome to the stage.

Princess Beatrice:
What an inspiring panel to be joined. Thank you so much. What an amazing opportunity, and I’m incredibly inspired and so grateful with everything that you’ve already said to, you know, make sure that we’re all working together to do that. So, thank you very much for having me.

Frederic Werner:
You’re welcome. It’s a privilege for me and for the whole audience, I believe.

Ebtesam Almazrouei:
First of all, I would like to thank you, Your Royal Highness, for joining us today and also being one of the initial contributors and members of AI for good impact, and we are looking forward to work closely with you to drive the good impact of AI across all the 17 SDGs. Your Royal Highness, given your inclusivity and, of course, your focus and advocacy for education and AI literacy, what are the key components that you can think that AI literacy can be integrated in our educational systems?

Princess Beatrice:
Well, thank you so much. Should I maybe start by saying what drives me as an individual, what drives me now as a mum is the fact that we really do have to figure out how these incredible technologies can be best utilized. When I think about the fact that we’ve got 10 years on the clock now to solve some of the world’s biggest problems with the SDGs, there is no other opportunity than to turn to technology to do that. When I think about SDG 4, with the right to quality education, I really get inspired by the way that technology can act as the great connector. We really need to be focusing on this with every fiber of our being, and I think you’ve really outlined that already. I came to my kind of technology career not as somebody that was your sort of, I didn’t study technology at school, but I was passionate about looking for opportunities and looking for how things could be done differently, and that’s what’s really led me to foster this belief that we can reimagine our education systems in line with the great use of technology to make a more inclusive and thoughtful leadership example. But our education sector needs as much help as we can possibly give it. We really do have to lean in to make sure that we can offer tools and solutions that everybody can adopt, but I’m so inspired by some of the ways that we can apply technology, which means we can create connected classrooms, we can help teachers with the resources and opportunities they need, and maybe give teachers that bit of leg up that they could really be inspired by. We really need to focus on making sure that our technology leaders for the future are also having the right teachers, if that’s the right way around, yes, but teaching for me is the best opportunities that young people have, and great leaders need to be fostered, and technology is a fantastic way to bring a very large mouthpiece to an organization. So, AI literacy is a huge part of that, but actually, you know, if we drop the A for a second, let’s focus on intelligence, let’s focus on investing in human intelligence, let’s focus on that platform for collaboration, and actually what intelligence in its core form can really deliver, and how we can actually make those changes.

Frederic Werner:
So, when we met in Geneva a few months ago, I remember we had a very engaging discussion, and what struck me was your passion for education, and, you know, how are we going to help all segments of society live in a world with AI? So, not only school children and university students, but everyone, and especially marginalized communities. So, do you have any thoughts or ideas how we could basically infuse AI literacy into all segments of society, and especially for marginalized communities?

Princess Beatrice:
There is so much, there’s so much to do, and actually what I’m seeing firsthand is actually the great moments for collaboration that are already happening. You know, we’ve seen some of the fantastic showcases today of some of the great institutions that are really leaning into robotics, but even, you know, with what we can be sort of teaching children with around early stages robotics, but I think the most important thing we need to be looking at around all communities is where are the role models as well? Who are the people that we can be inspired by, like yourself, who is, you know, an AI leader, especially for young women? These are some of the things I’m really excited about in terms of the way that digital inclusion, especially in emerging markets, can really change the dynamics. You know, we can foster literacy on financial inclusion, we can create connected classrooms, and we really can just try and do everything possible in our power to make those changes, but the education sector really does need us to lead into it. The education sector is still something that hasn’t really changed for a hundred and something years, so if we are going to be able to see the impact and the changes, we need to lean in now, and everyone needs to take a role in that, whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or a student themselves, you have to lean in to make this an inclusive environment to work in.

Ebtesam Almazrouei:
Thank you, Your Royal Highness. Your Royal Highness, what do you think the role of the… I would like to ask you a question about AI for good. What is the role of AI for good in promoting AI literacy? What is the role of AI for good in building partnerships between education and institutions, and also AI organizations, in promoting AI literacy?

Princess Beatrice:
I think, as I said, everybody has a role to play in this now. This is not, and this is what I’m really excited about, is the opportunity to have a conversation with young people about the changes that they’re prepared to make, to realize that harnessing intelligence can really make the changes. But I think bringing the voice of young people into the conversation is also really critical to make sure that, you know, they really feel like they have a sway in their future. I’ve really enjoyed working with the ITU generation connect in order to make sure that young people feel like they can collaborate, that they can build their own intelligence, and that they can build their own business. So, I think, you know, I think the collaboration effort, you’re demonstrating it with everything we’re doing with AI impact. 47 UN organizations. That’s unheard of. It’s a fantastic opportunity to bring in that level of understanding, but also that level of collaboration. And the time is now to collaborate. And I think that’s really important. I think that’s really important. I think that’s really important, and I think young people need to see fantastic opportunities. And I’m a technology optimist, but I’m also want to, I want to make sure that I’m doing everything right by my daughter so she knows that she has a, she has a future.

Ebtesam Almazrouei:
Well, thank you so much for everything you do, and for your energy, your commitment, and also for moral support. I think that’s really important. Thank you. Very good. Of course, I would like to thank you again for joining the AI for good impact initiative, and we are looking to work closely with you. And to bring your optimism in the AI for good and uplifting the AI for good, for the betterment of our world, especially in education system and AI literacy. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. And with that, I would like to bring up our next guest. So he’s the director general of international affairs for MIIT from China. Mr. Xiaofeng Xu. Welcome. We will be meeting in a few minutes. Please welcome Xiaofeng Xu, the director general of international affairs for MIIT from China. Okay. Welcome. And first of all, I’d like to thank you. Thank you for all of your support. So he was one of the early supporters of the impact initiative when it was just an idea with these people up on stage here. And he’s been supporting us with the AI for good innovate for impact project from China. So could you please explain what you mean by AI for good and AI for good impact initiative? Thank you.

Xu Chaofeng:
Thank you for the question. Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. On behalf of the ministry of information technology of China, I would like to extend my warm congratulations on the successful convening of the AI for good global agenda in September 2018. This is also the 45th anniversary of the eighth North American institution. AI has entered a period of explosive growth offering great opportunity for global economic growth, and sustainable development. Just now, in the world, is skills of knowledge are economic renewals and profit-generating competitiveness, which are inspired in China for the AI governance initiatives where AI should adopt people centric approach and be a force for good so that the AI should be a force for good. This is very much in line with the theme of the AI for good global summit. I also read the report of the innovator for impact, AI for good, mentioned by the moderator, and noticed that the report collects AI user cases from 38 countries around the world. In Japanese state, over 100 young people have entered the education field of AI manufacturing, energy, driving, finance, future network, and other industries. It shows that there is an urgent need for AI manufacturing in Japan. The development of AI manufacturing was also highly valued by member states. However, due to the uneven development of infrastructure, technology, data, and computing power required for AI, developing countries are not fully prepared for the arrival of the AI era. The AI manufacturing industry is not yet ready to meet the needs of developing countries to bridge the new digital divide created by AI. The AI for good impact initiative aims to raise funds and resources for global activity related to AI, and we believe it is a timely initiative. The initiative aims to support development activities in accordance with socio- economic lo track, and we actively encourage trade industries and academic institutions to participate in support of the initiative. We hope that implementation of the initiative will help us strengthen interpolicy exchanges, cash sharing and the capacity to work together to achieve the goal of AI for good. Thank you so much.

Ebtesam Almazrouei:
Thank you so much for your support. Thank you. So our next speaker, I met in Paris last week. You may remember him from last year. He’s Werner Vogels, CTO and Vice President of Amazon. No need for introduction there. Basically one of the godfathers of the cloud. And he couldn’t be here, unfortunately, but he’s very committed to the impact initiative. So if we could please roll a very quick video message from him from back in Paris last week.

Werner Vogels:
Hello Geneva. I’m Dr. Werner Vogels. As a technologist, I’m constantly inspired by young businesses and organizations that use technology to solve hard human problems. At last year’s AI for good summit, I shared a number of stories demonstrating AI’s potential for social impact. But remember this. It’s not just about the tools. First and foremost, it is about identifying the right data and finding the best people to make the decisions. That’s why I’m excited to announce that AWS is now the official cloud technology partner for the AI for good impact initiative led by the ITU. This initiative is critical in driving real, tangible progress towards the goal sustainable development goals. It connects AI innovators with problem owners, providing essential insights and resources to drive real impact. At AWS, we’re committed to providing the partnership needed to support innovation across areas such as skills training, disaster response, health and environmental equity. For example, our health equity initiative is a $60 million program supporting organizations improving access to healthcare in 28 countries around the world. I’ve also recently launched a CTO fellowship program with an NGO called Tech to the Rescue. This program will provide mentorship to elevate tech leaders from social impact organizations. As I’ve said, AI predicts, but we humans make the decisions. I’m eager to see how young innovators will harness opportunities like the AI for good impact initiative to develop and scale their world changing solutions. Now, go build.

Ebtesam Almazrouei:
You heard him. Go build. I’m joking. Okay, we have one more announcement. This happened last night. This was a surprise. So I’d like to introduce a very old dear friend, Amir Banifatemi. He was with us at the very beginning of AI for good in 2017 and still working tirelessly to help us on all things AI for good. And a new friend that I met last night, Mathieu, the director of CIEMA. Can I please invite you up on stage? Hi Amir. So, what’s the big surprise?

Amir Banifatemi:
Thank you very much. It’s a great pleasure to see eight years after when we started designing and co-creating the AI for good. We have an announcement to make but I will let first my friend Mathieu Maricot to talk about CIEMA, which is the organization that is carrying the help, but there’s more that we’ll share as well.

Matthieu Maricot:
Thank you, Amir. So, to develop and deploy high-impact responsible AI initiative is the mission of my organization, CIEMA. So we’re a non-profit organization supported by the government of Canada and we’re one of the three expertise centers of the Global Partnership on AI, GPA. So we work with 29 governments and a group of international multi-stakeholder experts to address concrete problems and design responsible AI solutions. At CIEMA, we do this within GPA but we also do this on our own, with our own portfolio of projects and partners. But developing impactful AI solutions requires a lot of money and that is why we have something to say today.

Amir Banifatemi:
Yes, so it’s a pleasure to announce today, officially for the first time, the creation of the Responsible AI Impact Fund. This is the first global fund that is investing in companies that are addressing world’s biggest problems and accelerating the SDGs. This is a hybrid fund that has a component of grant-making for projects that need to develop but also investment for scale-up projects. And we’re supporting the Impact Initiative fully through both grants and investments. I’ll let Mathieu take more details on that.

Matthieu Maricot:
Thanks. So now with that being said, our pledge for CIEMA that we really decided yesterday at the Cocteau. So CIEMA will act as an ambassador for the initiative and AI for SDGs within Canada. We are also committing 30% of the grant portion of the Responsible AI Impact Fund towards projects supported and identified and supported by the AI for Good Impact Initiative. So that’s at least $3 million. CIEMA will also provide at least 1,000 hours of mentorship and coordination support for the development of applied projects. Additionally, through the Responsible AI Impact Fund, we will provide a preferential position to impact initiatives, projects that will require investments once they reach scale-up stage. And of course, we’re fully open to discuss other partnerships, other engagements. Thank you.

Frederic Werner:
Thank you. Thank you, Mathieu and Amir. This is much, much appreciated and a really good example of AI for Good. And we have UAE here, we have United Kingdom, we have China, we have Canada. It’s a global summit, so we’re welcoming all support and contributions to everyone. So, Your Royal Highness, thank you so much for your participation and your support, Your Excellency. And I believe we’re going to do a very quick group photo.