More Sustainable and Equitable Future Through AI

April 22, 2024in Salesforce

Salesforce has unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at fostering a more sustainable and equitable future through AI. The company has introduced its Sustainable AI Policy Principles, a framework designed to guide AI regulation with a focus on minimizing environmental impact and promoting climate innovation. Additionally, Salesforce has selected five new nonprofits for its Salesforce Accelerator – AI for Impact, which targets climate action. This initiative will enable these purpose-driven organizations to harness AI solutions to tackle the pressing challenges of climate change.

Why It Matters

Prioritizing responsible AI development is crucial for leveraging technology to make a positive impact while ensuring that equity and sustainability remain central.

AI Equity: Ensures fairness and inclusivity, mitigates biases, and reduces disparities in access to technology.
Sustainable AI Practices: Aim to reduce energy consumption and minimize environmental impact.

Salesforce Sustainable AI Policy Principles
Read Them Here

Key Aspects of the Principles

The Sustainable AI Policy Principles extend Salesforce’s commitment to advocating for science-based policies that support a just and equitable transition to a 1.5-degree future. These principles offer best practices for lawmakers and regulators on:

Managing AI’s Environmental Impact: Ensuring that AI technology is developed in a manner that supports sustainability.
Spurring Climate Innovation: Creating policies that encourage and enable the environmental application of AI.

Salesforce is also the first tech company to support the Transformational AI to Modernize the Economy (TAME) legislation, which aims to enhance AI’s role in predicting and responding to extreme weather events.

The AI for Impact Accelerator

The AI for Impact cohort will support climate-focused nonprofits with technology, investments, and philanthropy to develop AI solutions that benefit the environment. Alongside product donations and $2 million in funding, these organizations will work on AI-powered initiatives in three crucial areas:

Climate Mitigation: Reducing emissions and enhancing carbon sinks.
Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Improving communities’ ability to adapt and reducing vulnerabilities to climate change.
Climate Finance: Connecting communities with funding sources for climate initiatives.

Participants will also receive a year of pro bono consulting from Salesforce experts in strategy, planning, responsible AI use, data strategy, and technical architecture.

Accelerator Participants Include:

Climate Collective Foundation: As the largest non-governmental climate tech startup accelerator in the Global South, it will develop an AI-powered platform to streamline and accelerate climate tech investment, matching ecopreneurs with funding opportunities.
Good360: This organization, which donates supplies post-disaster, will use AI to optimize logistics and reduce its carbon footprint by efficiently matching and delivering goods, diverting them from landfills.
Groundswell: By integrating AI, Groundswell aims to enhance community solar and energy efficiency programs, reducing household energy burdens and expanding access to renewable energy.
Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA): ORRAA will develop “The Octopus Desk,” an AI-driven global blue finance marketplace to connect investors with projects that build resilience for vulnerable coastal populations.
WattTime: WattTime will create an AI Assistant to improve awareness and implementation of energy-saving strategies, helping to achieve significant CO2 savings.

Moving Forward

Suzanne DiBianca, EVP and Chief Impact Officer at Salesforce, emphasizes the importance of developing equitable and sustainable AI technology. “With AI transforming our lives and work, it is vital to ensure the technology is developed responsibly. We are excited to support climate nonprofits committed to sustainable AI innovation and advocate for clear policies that guide responsible AI development.”

Quotes from Participants:

Michelle Moore, CEO of Groundswell: “Joining the Salesforce Accelerator – AI for Impact is transformative for Groundswell. It empowers us to scale our community solar and energy efficiency efforts and integrate AI into our strategies for significant impact.”
Romaine Seguin, CEO of Good360: “Being selected for the Salesforce Accelerator – AI for Impact allows Good360 to leverage AI for greater impact, optimizing resource delivery and reducing emissions. We look forward to collaborating with Salesforce to support a healthier planet.”

Together, these efforts aim to accelerate the positive impact of technology, ensuring it benefits everyone and supports a sustainable future.