Gates Foundation allocates $1b for equitable AI
The health sector will receive 40 percent of the funding to help with the development of supporting infrastructure, such as diagnostics and treatment tools, as well as new medicines and vaccines.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed at least $1 billion over the next two years to promote equitable artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, education, agriculture, and digital infrastructure. The foundation announced this plan during the launch of its 10th annual Goalkeepers Report, which zeroes in on urgent actions needed to ensure AI narrows, rather than widens, the gap between the wealthiest and the poorest.
The report, titled "Make This Matter: AI, Equity, and the Choice We Can't Delay," emphasizes that AI's trajectory is not set in stone. However, the window to determine who benefits and by when is rapidly closing. Foundation chair Bill Gates reiterates the group's goal to tackle a fundamental market failure that creates gaps preventing those with the greatest needs from shaping innovation and investment.
Much of the foundation's work has focused on narrowing that gap, Gates stated in the report. "AI presents the same challenge, only at much greater speed. Left to the market alone, the most capable tools will be built first for the people and institutions most able to pay for them, not necessarily for those who could benefit most."
The report is part of the foundation's push to accelerate progress toward UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, particularly in areas where AI can make a significant impact.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
