Last week, Microsoft announced the latest news in its ongoing AI for Good program: a $40M effort to apply data science and AI to difficult and comparatively under-studied conditions like tuberculosis, SIDS and leprosy. How does one responsibly parachute into such complex ecosystems as a tech provider, and what is the process for vetting recipients of the companys funds and services?<\/p>\n
Tasked with administrating this philanthropic endeavor is John Kahan, chief data analytics officer and AI lead in the AI for Good program. I spoke with him shortly after the announcement to better understand his and Microsofts approach to entering areas where they have never tread as a company and where the opportunity lies for both them and their new partners.<\/p>\n
Kahan, a Microsoft veteran of many years, is helping to define the program as it develops, he explained at the start of our interview.<\/p>\n
John Kahan: About a year ago, they announced my role in conjunction with expanding AI for Good from being really a grants-oriented program, where we gave money away, to a program where we use data science to help literally infuse AI and data to drive change around the world. It is 100% philanthropic we dont do anything thats commercial-related.<\/p>\n
TechCrunch: This kind of research is still a very broad field, though. How do you decide what constitutes a worthwhile investment of resources?<\/p>\n
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How Microsoft runs its $40M 'AI for Health' initiative - TechCrunch<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Last week, Microsoft announced the latest news in its ongoing AI for Good program: a $40M effort to apply data science and AI to difficult and comparatively under-studied conditions like tuberculosis, SIDS and leprosy. How does one responsibly parachute into such complex ecosystems as a tech provider, and what is the process for vetting recipients of the companys funds and services? Continue reading