As Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements continue to soar, the capability to tackle major societal issues has never been greater. From fighting disease outbreaks and natural calamities to empowering marginalized communities, AI is playing a pivotal role in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges and fostering transformative change.
Here are seven ways AI is already making the world a better place:
1. Forecasting floods and helping people stay safe through early warning systems
The United Nations’ recent report highlights a daunting reality – half the global population is still without effective early warning systems for natural disasters such as floods and fires. With the frequency and severity of climate-related crises rising, the need for technology to save lives and enhance preparedness has never been more pressing. It’s imperative that we invest in solutions that can keep people safe and help governments plan and respond effectively.
Google’s flood forecasting program covers dozens of countries. It shows forecast information in Search and Maps and sends alerts to mobile devices to notify people in harm’s way. The FloodHub features detailed inundation maps so people can see exactly what to expect in their location.
2. Detecting real-time wildfire boundaries to aid in firefighting
Google’s cutting-edge technology harnesses satellite imagery to create AI models that accurately locate and track the boundaries of wildfires in real time. Last year, these models proved instrumental in responding to over 30 wildfires across the United States and Canada, providing crucial information to both local residents and firefighters. Building on its success, this innovative solution has now expanded to cover Mexico and selected regions of Australia.
3. Monitoring prenatal health
The alarming number of maternal deaths, with nearly 295,000 cases reported globally in 2017, highlights the dire need for improved healthcare access for expectant mothers. While ultrasounds have become a standard part of prenatal care in many developed countries, the lack of trained healthcare professionals has made it a challenge to bring this life-saving technology to low-resource settings. To address this disparity, we are collaborating with Northwestern Medicine to leverage AI technology and develop models that enable even minimally trained ultrasound operators to accurately assess potential risks and identify issues such as abnormal fetal positioning in real time.
4. Fighting pest infestations of crops
Pest infestations can be a devastating blow to farmers and their communities, destroying crops and livelihoods. That’s why Google is partnering with InstaDeep and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to more effectively detect locust outbreaks in Africa more and implement effective control measures. Additionally, in India, Google has supported Wadhwani AI in developing an AI-powered app that accurately identifies and treats pest infestations, leading to a 20% decrease in pesticide usage and a 26% boost in profit margins for farmers.
5. Helping address population changes and humanitarian response through buildings
Open Buildings is a pioneering open-access dataset initiative that leverages AI technology to analyze satellite imagery and precisely locate and map out building structures. This information is crucial for a range of applications, including population estimation, urban planning, humanitarian aid, environmental and climate research. Currently available in 10 countries across Asia, including Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Philippines, and Thailand, the Open Buildings project empowers governments and aid organizations with valuable insights, enabling them to better serve the needs of their citizens, both in everyday life and in times of crisis.
6. Detecting genetic variations that cause disease
With the support of PacBio, researchers are utilizing Google’s cutting-edge deep learning technology, DeepConsensus, to speed up and enhance the accuracy of identifying genetic variants linked to various diseases. This breakthrough will aid scientists in uncovering serious genetic disorders, such as an increased likelihood of developing breast cancer or pulmonary arterial hypertension.
7. Helping people with non-standard speech connect and be understood
For millions of individuals with speech impediments, effective communication can be a challenge. To address this issue, Project Relate has been developed — a sophisticated Android app that leverages AI research. This innovative app empowers people with non-standard speech to communicate more easily and effectively with others. Whether transcribing speech into text, repeating what’s been said with a synthesized voice, or connecting directly with the speaker’s Google Assistant to carry out various tasks, Project Relate offers a range of solutions to make communication a breeze.