The most important
Tech With Purpose News
In this issue of my Tech With Purpose news summary, I find interesting news about how artificial intelligence is helping tackle climate change, how it is helping weather models predict dangerous air-quality issues, whilst not forgetting climate impact AI has itself.
The role of the citizen also features in two articles today. The first uses photos taken by tourists (like the one above) to feed a new open machine vision platform and protect wildlife. The second looks at developing more ethical, unbiased AI applications with a citizen-first approach.
Also this week, several speakers at Davos commented on the importance of putting the “human” back into the front of technology development. In fact, this is exactly what I am searching for in my research project.
PLUS Tele2, Microsoft and Sustainable Transformation…
There’s lots more good things too, check out this week’s summary below, and if you find this useful please share. If you have Tech For Good/Tech With Purpose news to share, please let me know here.
Digital Transformation is Dead. Long Live Sustainable Transformation.
Is Sustainable Transformation the new Digital Transformation. Companies placing the same emphasis on sustainability as they make technological investments see similar returns; those who put data and AI at the heart of their ESG initiatives will build more resilient, sustainable, profitable, and attractive businesses. Read more here.
Can AI Weather Tools Help Fight Air Quality?
Can the same techniques used for weather and air-quality prediction be used to create early warning systems for COVID-19 transmission rates? Maybe, but as NHS Digital comments, poor AI practices might over-shadow the gains. Read more here.
Tele2 Doubles Down on Green
In April 2020, Tele2 was the first mobile operator to be climate neutral in the Nordics and Baltics, but now, with input from 9000 stakeholders, their vision is bigger, bolder, focusings on the circular economy, diversity, innovation in sustainability and the protection of children online. Read more here.
Microsoft’s Big Achievement, Loftier Goals
Microsoft cut 730,000 tons (6%) of their carbon emissions in one year, and purchased the removal of a further 1.3 million metric tons. Their ‘moonshoot’ project has bold ambitions, including removing more carbon from the atmosphere than they have ever contributed by 2050. Read more here.
Examples of How Machine Learning can reduce GHG Emissions
This article describes five fields in which machine learning helps to reduce green house gas emissions, giving more than a dozen examples of companies doing just this. Read more here.
Citizen Data Helps Protect Wildlife
Wild-Me is working with Microsoft in its AI-for-Earth programme, to combine AI and citizen data science to do good for biodiversity in an open platform powered by user generated content. Using advanced image recognition, they are able to more accurtely identify specific animal species by using public citizen generated information, such as tourist photos. Read more here.
Can Citizen-First AI Concepts Guide Morality, Ethics and Privacy?
Fascinating article that suggests AI development needs to move towards citizen-centric values and principles. Embedded in this notion is protection of rights, privacy and data, as well as lawful and moral ethics. Read more here.
Davos Puts Human at the Front of Technology
With smart regulation, smart infrastructure, ethical frameworks, and the importance of Industry 4.0 in global supply and food chains, Davos picks up on what I call Humanity 5.0. Read more here.
Higher Education needs more Anthropocene skills
A University of London Professor asserts that in addition to thinking foward using our collective technology and cultural assets, more Anthropocene (a geologic unit of time, used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history when human activity began to have significant impact) skills should be at the forefront of university education.
Read more here.
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