AI's Contribution to Societal Abundance

How AI Is Making a Real Difference (The real power of AI isn’t efficiency - it’s impact.) AI often gets framed as a shortcut for productivity - but its real potential goes far beyond that. It’s helping solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Here are 5 ways AI is creating meaningful change: 1. Healthcare: Diagnosing Earlier, Treating Smarter ↳ AI is transforming early detection. ↳ McKinsey estimates AI tools could cut medical errors by up to 40% and boost treatment outcomes by up to 30%. ↳ Google’s DeepMind can now identify more than 50 eye conditions with the accuracy of top specialists—helping prevent blindness through faster diagnosis. 2. Climate Action: Forecasting Disasters Before They Happen ↳ AI is improving how we predict and respond to extreme weather. ↳ According to the World Economic Forum, AI-enhanced climate models are 40% better at forecasting major events. ↳ IBM’s Geospatial AI is already in use to anticipate floods and wildfires weeks in advance - giving communities time to prepare. 3. Education: Adapting to Every Learner ↳ AI makes personalized education scalable. ↳ UNESCO found AI tools can increase student retention by 30% by adapting lessons to individual learning patterns. ↳ Duolingo, used by over 500 million people, tailors language lessons in real time to make learning more effective for each user. 4. Disaster Relief: Acting Before Crises Escalate ↳ AI helps aid organizations get ahead of emergencies. ↳ The UN’s World Food Programme used AI to forecast a 70% rise in food insecurity in East Africa - enabling earlier, targeted intervention. ↳ With access to satellite imagery and trend data, AI guides relief efforts before situations become critical. 5. Sustainability: Cutting Waste and Emissions ↳ AI is also driving environmental gains. ↳ BCG reports that AI-enabled supply chains help grocers reduce food waste by 20–50%. ↳ Companies like Winnow use AI in kitchens to monitor waste and save millions of meals from ending up in the trash. AI isn’t just a tool for business - it’s a tool for progress. And the more it evolves, the more ways we find to apply it for good. Is your organization using AI to make a positive impact? __________________________ AI Consultant, Course Creator & Keynote Speaker   Follow Ashley Gross for more about AI

Since 2000, the number of humans worldwide without access to electricity has dropped by half -- nearly 1 billion more people have electricity today. Several factors contributed to this improvement, but a key driver is technology. Rapid technology development has transformed energy systems over the last two decades. And today, AI is poised to accelerate this trend in unprecedented ways. Recent insights from Reuters highlight several uses of AI to advance and improve our power systems. Let's take mini-grids as an example. Mini-grids (similar to micro-grids) harness local storage and generation, creating decentralized networks that empower communities, particularly rural ones. Imagine a small community in the mountains installing solar panels and batteries, forming a local energy generation and storage facility to power their needs. This shift from centralized authorities to local innovators accelerates electrification, sidestepping the prolonged process of waiting for regulatory approvals and building new power plants. A key challenge micro-grids face is managing supply & demand for users. But now, predictive AI is enabling innovators like Husk Power Systems to forecast supply and demand, delivering electricity at the cheapest point at any given time. Similarly, installing and managing generation assets can be a challenge especially in rural environments. Here, AI-based models can optimize site selection & improve predictive maintenance for wind turbines and solar panels. By making mini-grids more efficient, AI is accelerating rural electrification -- just one example of how such technologies can enable cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable power for millions around the world. 🌍 #AI #aiforgood #energysystems #sustainability #minigrids #microgrids #cleanenergy #energytransition #cleantech #climatetech

2014: Global AI market is valued at $419.7 million 2024: Global AI market is valued at $305.90 billion with a B That’s a 72,000% increase in the last decade. It’s pretty clear at this point that AI can’t be ignored. But the real question for me is: How can AI be leveraged to positively impact environmental sustainability? Because AI has the potential to revolutionise how we approach sustainability issues. Whether it be through the: - Waste reduction. - Wastewater treatment. - Identification of patterns. - Using materials precisely. - Analysis of large data sets. - Creation of efficient supply chains. - Creation of forecasts and predictions. - Design of long-lasting product life cycles. - Comparison & identification of the best options. The advantages are endless. Here are a few critical areas I’m excited about AI impacting: 1️⃣ Renewables - Shifting from fossil fuels to renewables cuts greenhouse gas emissions. - AI optimizes energy use through forecasting, smart grids, and resource allocation. - It's also key in energy exploration, storage, and trading. 2️⃣ Agriculture - AI can enhance farming viability using sensors for soil and water data, combined with weather insights. - Improves farm management with AI-driven cost optimization, yield predictions, and waste reduction. - Also aiding in reshaping production to reduce the environmental impact of food production. Those are my thoughts, but what are yours? Where would you like to see AI drive sustainable solutions?

As we combat climate change more urgently than ever, Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be a potential ally - particularly through its capabilities in predictive analytics and smart, automated systems. AI's prowess in analyzing vast datasets enables precise forecasting of climate phenomena, that can guide timely interventions to mitigate adverse effects. This predictive power extends to optimizing energy and resource use, where AI-driven systems ensure operations across various sectors are both efficient and sustainable, significantly reducing waste and enhancing resilience. Moreover, these intelligent systems, if harnessed well, can contribute to health and well-being by monitoring and improving environmental conditions, from air quality to water usage - ensuring a healthier living environment for all. By smartly allocating resources and predicting environmental challenges, AI can potentially not only help conserve the planet's vital resources but also fortify communities against climate-related disruptions, paving the way for a sustainable, resilient future. However, with such great power comes great responsibility. A recent report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), commissioned by and co-authored with Google, delves into AI's ability to revolutionize climate action, potentially reducing global emissions by 5% to 10% by 2030. Here’s the link to the report: https://lnkd.in/gH6j-_XY   The question I am beginning to reflect on and would seek your inputs as well is, “How can we leverage AI for equitable solutions that foster global cooperation?” For me, it’s really important that our efforts champion climate equity that respects and empowers all communities, particularly those most vulnerable to climate impacts. Responsible AI development plays a crucial role here, ensuring inclusivity and avoiding biases.   I am actively looking to build a blueprint for harnessing AI as a tool for inclusive climate action. A future where responsible technology and sustainability go hand in hand, benefiting everyone, everywhere.   What innovative approaches do you think can bridge the gap between technological advancements, climate resilience, sustainability, and equity principles guided by responsible AI development? The comment section awaits!   #AIForGood #ClimateAction #SustainableFuture #InclusiveInnovation Note: Keeping with the theme of AI, I asked Adobe Firefly to help me generate an image that speaks of the impact of AI in climate action, and this is the resulting image.

Accelerating climate action is imperative as we are on a path to surpass the Paris Agreement’s goal to keep warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius, and we have to leverage every tool to make the progress required. AI can and must be part of the solution - our research shows that by scaling currently proven applications and technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to unlock insights that could help mitigate 5-10% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030—and significantly bolster climate-related adaptation and resilience initiatives. Our latest AI & Sustainability paper, in partnership with BCG, hopes to provide decision makers with insights and data they need to keep building upon the successful early applications of AI for climate, mitigate any potential risks, and usher in a greener future. Find the report here. https://goo.gle/3QEE6lh

This week, I've engaged in many conversations about the role of technology in tackling our world's most pressing climate challenges. #UNGA and #ClimateWeek serve as poignant reminders of the need to invest in innovation, particularly in AI, to accelerate sustainability progress. At Microsoft, we are committed to harnessing the power of data and AI to advance global climate resilience. Through initiatives like Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, we are supporting the local development of scalable solutions. Recently, my colleague Juan M. Lavista Ferres published this article on Project Guacamaya, a collaborative endeavor utilizing AI to safeguard the Amazon across Central and South America.   In 2022, nearly 2.7 million acres of the Amazon were subject to deforestation, marking a 21% increase from the previous year. The Amazon rainforest's vital role in regulating global weather patterns underscores the urgency of addressing rapid deforestation to protect our planet's ecosystem.     Thank you for your collaboration on this important work, Alexander von Humboldt Institute, The CinfonIA Research Center at Universidad de los Andes, the Instituto Sinchi, and Planet. Partnerships like these showcase the power of technology and people in working towards a sustainable future!      #ClimateAction #AIforGood

AI is sprouting new opportunities for sustainability in the agricultural sector. Our extensive research and insightful discussions with AgTech leaders have highlighted four key areas where AI can make a significant impact: 1. Optimizing Irrigation: AI enables smarter water management, ensuring efficient use while conserving this vital resource. 2. Soil Quality Monitoring: Through AI, we gain real-time insights into soil health, leading to better crop yields and reduced environmental impact. 3. Resource Allocation and ROI Enhancement: AI's precision in resource distribution not only boosts yields but also sharpens the return on investment, making agriculture both profitable and eco-friendly. 4. Waste Reduction: By streamlining processes and predicting outcomes, AI significantly cuts down agricultural waste, a crucial step towards a greener future. How do you envision harnessing AI to foster sustainability in your operations come 2024? Let's explore the possibilities together.