Global technology giant Microsoft is giving grants to seven Indian organizations under its $50 million AI for Earth worldwide program. The organizations will work with artificial intelligence technology to devise the method to solve global environmental challenges.
Under AI for Earth, the grantees will receive access to Microsoft Azure and AI computing resources; education and technology training on these tools and additional support as the projects grow and mature, said the American firm. The company also informed that India now has the third largest concentration of AI for Earth grantees, following the United States and Canada
“In every country around the world, we are facing unprecedented environmental challenges, impacting the ability to access water, grow healthy crops and protect biodiversity. At Microsoft, we’ve found that one thing was accelerating as quickly as the degradation of our planet’s natural resources, and that is technology. Through AI for Earth, we’re making sure that innovative environmental researchers, like the seven here in India, are empowered with Microsoft’s AI in the pursuit of creating a more sustainable future for us all,” stated Lucas Joppa, Chief Environmental Officer, Microsoft Corporation and Lead for Microsoft AI for Earth.
Microsoft said that the grantees from India have been chosen based on their efforts to conserve, protect and rebuild the environment with AI. Most of these organization are working in the fields of agriculture, biodiversity, and water.
Agriculture
India Institute of Technology together with the Technical University of Munich, the India Institute of Technology is designing a low-cost tool for monitoring plant health in resource-limited regions. Used directly in the field by farmers, the device will automate the process of disease diagnosis through image analysis on the Azure platform.
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad – ICRISAT is using AI, cognitive services, and cloud computing to enhance pest forecasting and prediction models and farm advisory services to enable sustainable agriculture production in developing parts of the world.
Biodiversity
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru is developing an AI-enabled tool to document and quantitatively assess the abundant habitats and rich biological resources of North-East India.
Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi is working on an intelligent tool for identifying and locating monkeys in human habitats, helping researchers implement more effective population control.
Climate Change
Symbiosis Institute of Technology (Smart Meter Data Analytics), Pune is using both smart meter and socio-economic data to develop an AI-enabled prototype for smart meter data analytics—helping improve energy management for utilities and consumers.
Water
India Institute of Science, Bangalore is developing a scalable solution using data analytics and machine learning under its Eqwater project to ensure equitable water distribution in India’s large cities.
Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Pune is developing Smart Environment Information and Management System (SEIMANS) to monitor and predict water, air and soil conditions for a variety of smart city applications, such as utilities and environmental monitoring.
“At Microsoft, we believe AI for Earth will be a force multiplier for groups and individuals like these who are creating solutions for a more sustainable future for us all. Today’s announcement represents an expansion of Microsoft’s commitment to and investment in democratizing AI and advancing sustainability in the country. We congratulate the recipients and are excited by the potential for advances in AI and sustainability that will benefit India and the world,” said According to Keshav Dhakad, Group Head and Assistant General Counsel – CELA, Microsoft India.
AI for Earth is a $50 million, 5-year programme from Microsoft to put AI at work for the future of the planet. Launched in July 2017, its focus areas are climate change, agriculture, biodiversity and water. In just a year, AI for Earth has grown from 20 grantees to 147 from across more than 40 countries, with $1.1M of Azure credits awarded to date, said the technology firm.
