“Artificial intelligence has the potential to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges,” says Microsoft

Microsoft announced Wednesday its AI for Health, a new $40 million, five-year program.

AI for Health will use artificial intelligence to solve the world’s toughest challenges in health.

“Through AI for Health, Microsoft will work to ensure that nonprofits, academia, and research organizations have access to the latest technology, resources and technical experts to help implement AI to accelerate research, generate insights and improve access to care,” the company said in a statement.

The program would be a part of the company’s $165 million “AI for Good” initiative. The initiative includes AI for Accessibility, AI for Cultural Heritage, AI for Earth, AI for Health and AI for Humanitarian Action.

AI for Health takes aim at the greatest health challenges

“Artificial intelligence has the potential to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges, like improving the health of communities around the world,” said Brad Smith, president, Microsoft.

Some of the most pressing health issues this program will address include the following.

• discovering the cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS),
• eliminating leprosy,
• detecting diabetic retinopathy to prevent blindness, and
• building an ecosystem that allows safe and secure sharing of biomedical data.

Microsoft also announced several grantees under the program. These include BRAC, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems (IRIS), Novartis Foundation, PATH, and Seattle Children’s Research Institute.

Related Story:  Artificial Intelligence: Novartis And Microsoft Team Up to Transform Global Medicine