Google pledges $25 million to AI for Social Good project

San Francisco/New Delhi: Search engine giant Google has pledged $25 million to launch projects that apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to find solutions for various societal problems.

“...As a part of AI for Social Good, we’re also launching the Google AI Impact Challenge, a global call for nonprofits, academics, and social enterprises from around the world to submit proposals on how they could use AI to help address some of the world’s greatest social, humanitarian and environmental problems,” Jeff Dean, Google Senior Fellow and SVP, Google AI, said in a blog post late Monday.

Google said the grant will be used to fund the "AI Impact Challenge" contest, which is part of its "AI for Social Good" programme dedicated to "addressing some of society's biggest unsolved challenges".

"We'll help selected organisations bring their proposals to life with coaching from Google's AI experts, Google.org grant funding from a $25 million pool, and credits and consulting from Google Cloud," Jeff Dean, Google Senior Fellow and SVP, Google AI, said in a blog post late Monday.

Grantees will also join a specialised "Launchpad Accelerator" programme. Google said that it will tailor additional support to each project’s needs in collaboration with data science nonprofit DataKind.

“In spring of 2019, an international panel of experts, who work in computer science and the social sector, will help us choose the top proposals,” the blog further said.

Google said it does not expect applicants to be AI experts.

“For any nonprofit or researcher who has a great idea or wants help brainstorming one, we've built an educational guide with introductions to AI and the types of problems it’s well-suited for, as well as workshops in key locations around the world,” the blog said.