On June 20, the AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge team hosted a virtual information session to provide an overview of the Grand Challenge and answer questions. Watch the session recording and continue reading for highlights from the live event.
Review a summary of frequently asked questions and answers, read the transcript, and download the presentation.
Driving impact in climate and nature
Climate and nature organizations working on the ground are best positioned to implement effective solutions to the climate and nature crisis. The AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge is exploring how the responsible use of AI may increase the impact of the solutions that work.
“This Grand Challenge is not about identifying the coolest and hottest AI solution to a problem,” said Dr. Amen Ra Mashariki, Director of AI and Data Strategies at the Bezos Earth Fund. “It’s about identifying an intractable problem in climate and nature — then working through complex questions and processes to provide an impactful AI solution. That’s the key need for this Grand Challenge, and bringing all of you to the table to engage in that process is the opportunity.”
Facilitating new partnerships
By forging new partnerships between experts in climate, nature, and AI, the Grand Challenge has an opportunity to bring speed, scale, accuracy, and precision through the responsible implementation of modern AI. Eligible Phase 1 applicants may collaborate with organizations all over the world to develop their proposals. In the Phase 2 Innovation Sprint, the Grand Challenge will help teams identify needs and find partners to advance their proposals.
“Integrating AI capability with climate and nature challenges hasn’t been done at the scale that we need to have an impact in this decisive decade,” said Dr. Mashariki. “This is an opportunity to bring together organizations that have not worked with each other historically.”
Answers to top questions
During the information session, the Grand Challenge team answered questions from attendees submitted in advance. Top questions included:
What types of solutions would the Bezos Earth Fund like to see?
The Grand Challenge welcomes transformative ideas that will accelerate efforts to address climate change and nature loss using modern AI. Through the Grand Challenge, the Bezos Earth Fund hopes to dramatically increase the impact of practitioners on the ground.
A multidisciplinary group of experts will evaluate submissions based on equally weighted criteria. Visit the selection criteria page for details about each phase of the Grand Challenge.
How does the AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge define “modern AI”?
Modern AI describes advances in computer technology over the last five years that enable computer models to complete complicated tasks using techniques such as deep learning, neural networks, and computer vision systems.
Modern AI may include, but is not limited to, specific tools such as foundational models, self-supervised learning, transformer models, large language models, and accelerated computing. The Grand Challenge explores how these tools and other recent advances in AI might help address the critical challenges of climate change and nature loss.
Will the Grand Challenge facilitate partnerships?
In Phase 1, teams are welcome to establish partnerships on their own to develop and submit a proposal. In the Phase 2 Innovation Sprint, the Grand Challenge will help teams identify needs and find partners to advance their proposals. Additional details about the Innovation Sprint will be provided at a later date.
Visit the FAQs page to review the full list of questions and answers covering eligibility, solution scope, judging and selection, grant awards, and more.
Enter the Grand Challenge by July 30
The first round of the Grand Challenge invites grant proposals from eligible organizations: U.S.-based 501(c)(3) entities and global academic institutions. In keeping with the Bezos Earth Fund’s commitment to equity and access, eligible applicants may collaborate with organizations all over the world to develop their proposals. Proposals from non-affiliated individuals are not eligible.
Potential applicants are encouraged to read more about the Grand Challenge and browse the curated resources. They can also review the selection criteria and explore the submission form. Phase 1 submissions are due by 5:59 p.m. Eastern Time (9:59 p.m. UTC) on Tuesday, August 13.
*Please note that this blog post was updated on July 26, 2024, to reflect the submission deadline’s extension to August 13.