The Enterprise Neurosystem Announces that the 2024 AI Innovation Grand Challenge, in Partnership with the UN Climate Change, is Now Accepting Proposals
Proposals will Support Democratization of Artificial Intelligence via Potential Inclusion in a Unique Online Repository for AI-Powered Open Source Climate Solutions
San Francisco, CA, June 3, 2024 — The Enterprise Neurosystem, a global open-source AI research community for climate action announced today that the 2024 AI Innovation Grand Challenge is open and is accepting proposals. This global competition, co-hosted with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Technology Executive Committee (TEC), seeks community-led solutions that leverage AI for responsible climate adaptation and equitable mitigation in developing countries. The contest will culminate with a presentation from and an award presented to the winner at the UN Climate Change Conference COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan in November 2024.
Applications developed during the AI Innovation Grand Challenge, which was announced at COP 28, will be considered for distribution via the AI Climate Application Hub, a unique online repository for AI-powered open source climate applications that the Enterprise Neurosystem and the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism are partnering to launch in the Fall of 2024. The repository will become a source of freely available AI applications for ready use in future climate change mitigation and adaptation endeavors.
“The AI Innovation Grand Challenge will showcase innovative tools for future climate projects globally,” says Bill Wright, Chair of the Enterprise Neurosystem. “Furthermore, via the AI Climate Application Hub, the Enterprise Neurosystem aims to democratize development of and access to AI tools that can directly impact the adaptation and mitigation of climate change in developing nations.”
“We are seeing increasing evidence that artificial intelligence can prove an invaluable instrument in tackling climate change. While we remain mindful of the associated challenges and risks of AI, the AI Innovation Grand Challenge is a promising step forward in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and empowering innovators in developing countries,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell at COP 28 in Dubai last year.
Open to All: Fostering Inclusive Innovation
Impactful climate action requires an inter-disciplinary and intersectional approach with private-public partnership. The Grand Challenge is open to individuals and groups worldwide, regardless of background or affiliation. Students, entrepreneurs, academics, researchers, NGO volunteers, and individuals with non-traditional educational or career paths are all encouraged to apply.
The Grand Challenge welcomes proposals at all stages of development, from initial ideas to prototypes to solutions already deployed in the field. The winning solution should directly address climate change mitigation and adaptation needs in developing countries, especially in least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS). They should demonstrate potential for increasing resilience, enhancing adaptation capabilities, or reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Solutions should be suitable and feasible for implementation in these regions. Projects led by women and proposals from LDCs and SIDS will be given priority, but all are recommended to submit.
Submitting a Proposal
To initiate a proposal, a 250-word solution overview should be submitted to the Grand Challenge website at https://enter.innovationgrandchallenge.ai by the 11:59pm EDT August 12, 2024. Judges will review all proposals via successive evaluation rounds. Eighteen semi-finalists will submit more detailed proposals and participate in online interview evaluations, from which three finalists will be selected for comprehensive online presentations. A sole Grand Prize winner will be chosen to attend COP 29 where they will be awarded their prizes.
The winner will receive prizes to enable and accelerate the development and implementation of their proposed solution, including: sponsored and guided attendance of COP 29 with the unparalleled visibility of presenting as well as educational and networking opportunities; tailored guidance on AI solution development, business strategy, and implementation planning from AI experts and climate policy makers; AI infrastructure donations from leading global technology firms; and participation in curated publicity and thought leadership projects. Further details of prizes will be made available separately.
AI Climate Application Hub
Further information on this online repository of open source climate solutions will be provided in due course, ahead of the facility’s formal launch at COP 29.
About the Enterprise Neurosystem
The Enterprise Neurosystem is an open source AI research community, composed of 190 scientists, academics, data specialists and IT engineers, who are volunteers focused on building an AI neurology to monitor the health of our planet.
This community proposes a single global network for the integration of all climate projects, with an ensemble of AI models working collaboratively in the background to conduct real-time and historical pattern analysis. This includes AI sensors placed unobtrusively among nature’s various biosystems and species — for example, beehives, mycorrhizal fungi and mussel farms — that also act as climate change indicators. When merged with existing climate satellites, and atmospheric, seismic and oceanic sensors, this collectively enables a global AI network to monitor the planet’s health, and rapidly deliver course-correction recommendations.
An Internet for Nature will result — enabling new discoveries, more accurate solutions, and a full spectrum of participation, ranging from multinational organizations like the United Nations to the individual farmer or citizen scientist. Learn more about the Enterprise Neurosystem at www.enterpriseneurosystem.org.
Note for Editors
The UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee is the policy component of the Technology Mechanism, which was established by the Conference of the Parties in 2010 to facilitate the implementation of enhanced action on climate technology development and transfer. The Technology Executive Committee analyzes climate technology issues and develops policies that can accelerate the development and transfer of low-emission and climate resilient technologies.
Media Contact
Peter Harris
Lighthouse Partners
For the Enterprise Neurosystem
pete@lighthouse-partners.com
