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The Bezos Earth Fund has unveiled its ‘AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge,’ under which up to $100 million in grants will be awarded.

Through the challenge, Bezos Earth Fund hopes to discover how modern AI technology can help to address climate change and biodiversity loss, with the aim of inspiring collaboration between environmental solution groups and AI technology providers.

Jeff Bezos, executive chair of the fund, said: “Can modern AI help counter climate change and nature loss, and, if so, how? That’s the question we hope to answer. By bringing together brilliant minds across fields, we may be able to invent new ways forward.”

In its first round, the Grand Challenge will advance solutions in three focus areas: sustainable proteins, biodiversity conservation and power grid optimisation. It will also include a ‘Wild Card’ category for powerful ideas outside the focus areas. Subsequent rounds will address other priorities.

Each round will include two funding opportunities. In the first phase, up to 30 seed grants will be awarded for promising AI ideas addressing the focus areas. Awardees will be announced at a Bezos Earth Fund-TED event during Climate Week NYC in September 2024.

In phase two, the awardees will be eligible to apply for grants up to $2 million to grow their concepts into viable solutions, receiving mentorship, support from technology leaders and access to computing infrastructure and relevant datasets.

Vice chair Lauren Sánchez commented: “AI may have the potential to solve some of our biggest problems, and we’re calling on the planet’s brightest problem solvers to bring their visionary ideas to the table. Together, we can innovate and solve these challenges.”

The Bezos Earth Fund invites proposals from practitioners, researchers and innovators in universities, NGOs, private companies and global organisations.

This latest update comes after the Bezos Earth Fund unveiled plans to invest $60 million in sustainable protein production last month, to establish the Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein.

Applications for the AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge funding opens in May 2024.

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