Mastercard and data.org launch AI inclusion challenge

The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, in collaboration with data.org, has launched the AI Inclusion Challenge. This global initiative seeks innovative AI solutions to accelerate economic inclusion and empowerment, reduce inequalities among individuals and communities, and promote environmental sustainability. Among the judges are senior executives from OpenAI and Mastercard.

The AI Inclusion Challenge calls for existing innovative AI solutions to drive economic inclusion and empowerment. This initiative is part of Mastercard's accelerator programs, which support thousands of startups worldwide. The challenge will focus on inclusive growth, reducing inequalities among individuals and communities, and protecting the environment, ensuring the benefits of these technologies reach everyone. Organizations with proven AI solutions ready for expansion can apply for funding, mentorship, and technical support for their projects.

Winners will receive funding to develop and scale their solutions, access to technical expertise, guidance from Mastercard and data.org teams, and opportunities to participate in other Mastercard programs such as Start Path.

The AI Inclusion Challenge was first announced by Shamina Singh at the Global Inclusive Growth Conference. The challenge officially kicked off during the Accelerate Data for Social Impact conference, held in collaboration with Harvard University's Data Science Initiative. Singh stated, "Five years ago, we recognized the potential of using data to drive social impact. These initial investments created a foundation for the emerging field of data science and increased the demand for similar initiatives in AI. Today, we are proud to work with data.org to incentivize safe and reliable AI applications that empower communities and individuals."

Danil Mikhailov, Executive Director of data.org, added, "In the era of AI, cross-disciplinary collaboration to address challenges such as inclusive growth and climate change is more crucial than ever. This is data.org's fourth global challenge and the second in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, where we seek, expand, and support groundbreaking solutions."

Participants in the challenge can find more details and apply on the data.org website by July 18, 2024. A panel of expert judges, with experience in AI and social impact, will review the applications, and winners will be announced in early 2025. The panel includes Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation; Raghav Dharmaraju, CEO of ARTPARK; Greg Ulrich, Chief AI and Data Officer at Mastercard; Oyi Stewart, Chief Technology and Data Officer at data.org; Anna Makanju, Vice President of Global Affairs at OpenAI; and more.