The Bezos Earth Fund has launched the AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge, committing up to $100 million to foster AI-driven solutions that tackle climate change and nature loss. Established in 2020 with a $10 billion pledge from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the fund aims to support a wide range of environmental efforts and has already distributed around $2 billion across over 230 grants. This new challenge seeks to explore the potential of modern AI in environmental preservation through a series of funding rounds focusing on priority areas such as sustainable proteins, biodiversity conservation, and power grid optimization, plus a “”Wild Card”” category for innovative ideas beyond these themes. Each round will offer up to 30 seed grants for promising AI concepts, with recipients later eligible for up to $2 million to develop their ideas into scalable solutions. This support package will also include mentorship, access to technology leaders, computing infrastructure, and relevant datasets. The application process is set to open in May 2024, with the initial phase winners announced during a special event at Climate Week NYC in late September, hosted by the Bezos Earth Fund and TED. Vice Chair Lauren Sánchez emphasized the initiative’s goal to harness AI for solving significant global challenges, inviting the world’s brightest innovators to contribute their visionary ideas.
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