Microsoft contributes $40 million to enable use of AI for humanitarian causes

At the conference, Microsoft also released an array of security programmes and products.

             AI for Humanitarian Action' is part of Microsoft's 'AI for Good initiative' that was launched in July last year.

Unveiled at the annual 'Microsoft Ignite 2018' conference here, the programme called 'AI for Humanitarian Action' is part of Microsoft's 'AI for Good initiative' that was launched in July last year.

Microsoft said its "AI for Humanitarian Action" programme will accelerate the pace of innovation by managing strategic AI projects that demonstrate new applications, delivering reusable solutions and partnering with others to expand and scale initial projects.

AI can address humanitarian causes in myriad ways. For example, AI technologies like machine vision can quickly analyse images of roads damaged or destroyed by an event, making way for a faster and safer response, Smith explained.

The company said it would collaborate with NGOs and humanitarian organisations to accelerate breakthrough solutions to help monitor, detect and prevent human rights abuses.

"We are hopeful the world will see what a compelling force for good AI can be when it's used well in partnership with innovative NGOs. By ensuring technology fulfils its promise to address the broadest societal needs, we can empower everyone to achieve more," Smith noted.