Ai for Good - Applications in Sustainability, Humanitarian Action, and Health

FOREWORD BY BRAD SMITH, VICE CHAIR AND PRESIDENT OF MICROSOFT
 
Discover how AI leaders and researchers are using AI to transform the world for the better
 
In AI for Good: Applications in Sustainability, Humanitarian Action, and Health, a team of veteran Microsoft AI researchers delivers an insightful and fascinating discussion of how one of the world's most recognizable software companies is tackling intractable social problems with the power of artificial intelligence (AI). In the book, you'll see real in-the-field examples of researchers using AI with replicable methods and reusable AI code to inspire your own uses.
 
The authors also provide:
* Easy-to-follow, non-technical explanations of what AI is and how it works
* Examples of the use of AI for scientists working on mitigating climate change, showing how AI can better analyze data without human bias, remedy pattern recognition deficits, and make use of satellite and other data on a scale never seen before so policy makers can make informed decisions
* Real applications of AI in humanitarian action, whether in speeding disaster relief with more accurate data for first responders or in helping address populations that have experienced adversity with examples of how analytics is being used to promote inclusivity
* A deep focus on AI in healthcare where it is improving provider productivity and patient experience, reducing per-capita healthcare costs, and increasing care access, equity, and outcomes
* Discussions of the future of AI in the realm of social benefit organizations and efforts
Beyond the work of the authors, contributors, and researchers highlighted in the book, AI For Good begins with a foreword from Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith. There, Smith details the Microsoft rationale behind the creation of and continued investment in the AI for Good Lab. The vision is one of hope with AI saving lives in disasters, improving health care globally, and Microsoft's mission to make sure AI's benefits are available to all.
 
An essential guide to impactful social change with artificial intelligence, AI for Good is a must-read resource for technical and non-technical professionals interested in AI's social potential, as well as policymakers, regulators, NGO professionals, and non-profit volunteers.

List of contents

Foreword xix
Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft
 
Introduction xxiii
William B. Weeks, MD, PhD, MBA
 
A Call to Action xxvi
Juan M. Lavista Ferres
 
Part I: Primer on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 1
 
Chapter 1: What Is Artificial Intelligence and How Can It Be Used for Good? 3
William B. Weeks
 
What Is Artificial Intelligence? 5
 
What If Artificial Intelligence Were Used to Improve Societal Good? 6
 
Chapter 2: Artificial Intelligence: Its Application and Limitations 9
Juan M. Lavista Ferres
 
Why Now? 11
 
The Challenges and Lessons Learned from Using Artificial Intelligence 13
 
Large Language Models 24
 
Chapter 3: Commonly Used Processes and Terms 33
William B. Weeks and Juan M. Lavista Ferres
 
Common Processes 33
 
Commonly Used Measures 35
 
The Structure of the Book 37
 
Part II: Sustainability 39
 
Chapter 4: Deep Learning with Geospatial Data 41
Caleb Robinson, Anthony Ortiz, Simone Fobi Nsutezo, Amrita Gupta, Girmaw Adebe Tadesse, Akram Zaytar, and Gilles Quentin Hacheme
 
Executive Summary 41
 
Why Is This Important? 42
 
Methods Used 43
 
Findings 44
 
Discussion 46
 
What We Learned 46
 
Chapter 5: Nature-Dependent Tourism 48
Darren Tanner and Mark Spalding
 
Executive Summary 48
 
Why Is This Important? 49
 
Methods Used 50
 
Findings 52
 
Discussion 52
 
What We Learned 55
 
Chapter 6: Wildlife Bioacoustics Detection 57
Zhongqi Miao
 
Executive Summary 57
 
Why Is This Important? 58
 
Methods Used 59
 
Findings 61
 
Discussion 64
 
What We Learned 65
 
Chapter 7: Using Satellites to Monitor Whales from Space 66
Caleb Robinson, Kim Goetz, and Christin Khan
 
Executive Summary 66
 
Why Is This Important? 67
 
Methods Used 67
 
Findings 69
 
Discussion 70
 
What We Learned 71
 
Chapter 8: Social Networks of Giraffes 73
Juan M. Lavista Ferres, Derek Lee, and Monica Bond
 
Executive Summary 73
 
Why Is This Important? 75
 
Methods Used 78
 
Findings 79
 
Discussion 84
 
What We Learned 86
 
Chapter 9: Data-driven Approaches to Wildlife Conflict Mitigation in the Maasai Mara 88
Akram Zaytar, Gilles Hacheme, Girmaw Abebe Tadesse, Caleb Robinson, Rahul Dodhia, and Juan M. Lavista Ferres
 
Executive Summary 88
 
Why Is This Important? 90
 
Methods Used 90
 
Findings 92
 
Discussion 94
 
What We Learned 96
 
Chapter 10: Mapping Industrial Poultry Operations at Scale 97
Caleb Robinson and Daniel Ho
 
Executive Summary 97
 
Why Is This Important? 98
 
Methods Used 98
 
Findings 100
 
Discussion 102
 
What We Learned 104
 
Chapter 11: Identifying Solar Energy Locations in India 105
Anthony Ortiz and Joseph Kiesecker
 
Executive Summary 105
 
Why Is This Important? 106
 
Methods Used 107
 
Findings 109
 
Discussion 110
 
What We Learned 111
 
Chapter 12: Mapping Glacial Lakes 113
Anthony Ortiz, Kris Sankaran, Finu Shrestha, Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa, and Mir Matin
 
Executive Summary 113
 
Why Is This Important? 114
 
Methods Used 115
 
Findings 117
 
Discussion 120
 
What We Learned 123
 
Chapter 13: Forecasting and Explaining Degradation of Solar Panels with AI 124
Felipe Oviedo and Tonio Buona

About the author

JUAN M. LAVISTA FERRES, PHD, MS, is the Microsoft Chief Data Scientist and the Director of the AI for Good Lab at Microsoft. WILLIAM B. WEEKS, MD, PHD, MBA, is the Director of AI for Health at Microsoft.

Summary

FOREWORD BY BRAD SMITH, VICE CHAIR AND PRESIDENT OF MICROSOFT

Discover how AI leaders and researchers are using AI to transform the world for the better

In AI for Good: Applications in Sustainability, Humanitarian Action, and Health, a team of veteran Microsoft AI researchers delivers an insightful and fascinating discussion of how one of the world's most recognizable software companies is tackling intractable social problems with the power of artificial intelligence (AI). In the book, you'll see real in-the-field examples of researchers using AI with replicable methods and reusable AI code to inspire your own uses.

The authors also provide:
* Easy-to-follow, non-technical explanations of what AI is and how it works
* Examples of the use of AI for scientists working on mitigating climate change, showing how AI can better analyze data without human bias, remedy pattern recognition deficits, and make use of satellite and other data on a scale never seen before so policy makers can make informed decisions
* Real applications of AI in humanitarian action, whether in speeding disaster relief with more accurate data for first responders or in helping address populations that have experienced adversity with examples of how analytics is being used to promote inclusivity
* A deep focus on AI in healthcare where it is improving provider productivity and patient experience, reducing per-capita healthcare costs, and increasing care access, equity, and outcomes
* Discussions of the future of AI in the realm of social benefit organizations and efforts
Beyond the work of the authors, contributors, and researchers highlighted in the book, AI For Good begins with a foreword from Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith. There, Smith details the Microsoft rationale behind the creation of and continued investment in the AI for Good Lab. The vision is one of hope with AI saving lives in disasters, improving health care globally, and Microsoft's mission to make sure AI's benefits are available to all.

An essential guide to impactful social change with artificial intelligence, AI for Good is a must-read resource for technical and non-technical professionals interested in AI's social potential, as well as policymakers, regulators, NGO professionals, and non-profit volunteers.

Product details

• Authors: Juan Lavista Ferres, Juan (Microsoft) Lavista Ferres, Juan (Microsoft) Weeks Lavista Ferres, Juan M Lavista Ferres, Juan M. Lavista Ferres, Juan M. (Microsoft) Weeks Lavista Ferres, William Weeks, William (Microsoft) Weeks, William B Weeks, William B. Weeks
• Assisted by: Brad Smith (Foreword)
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.04.2024
• EAN: 9781394235872
• ISBN: 978-1-394-23587-2
• No. of pages: 432
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > IT; Informatik, Künstliche Intelligenz, KI, Artificial Intelligence, AI, computer science