Muhammed Kocabas
As the artificial intelligence algorithms are making its way to many real-world use cases, there are fierce discussions of its use in areas related to sustainable developlement goals. Here we discuss some of these goals which AI can help in one way or another.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is generating headlines for its applications in a variety of fields, including law enforcement facial recognition, self-driving cars, medical diagnostics, digital assistants, and even as a possible solution to the climate change disaster (Neslen, 2021).
In this blog post, I explain why I believe AI will play a vital role in attaining the SDGs and examine the various ways AI is already being used to address some of the goals. Achieving the objectives will necessitate major technological and business advancements. To make sure that the good things AI can do are used to everyone’s advantage, education and skill development through training, research, and new ideas are also needed.
Digital technology propels astounding improvements at a breakneck pace in today’s world. AI innovation will enable humans to use massive amounts of data to produce revolutionary advances in fields such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and transportation. We are also seeing how computers with AI could help doctors avoid making mistakes, help farmers get more crops, give students more personalized training, and find researchers.
In recent years, the intersection of AI and climate change has gotten a lot of attention. In many different economic domains and settings, AI can be used to manage environmental changes and repercussions, for example.
Protection of the environment
The protection of life in water and on land is addressed in the 14th and 15th SDGs. In these situations, AI-enabled technologies may be utilized to construct automated systems for collecting biodiversity data via remote sensing (Silvestro, 2022). This information can assist stakeholders in identifying trends in the species’ behavior and acting appropriately when anything unusual is seen.
As a result, AI technology has the potential to play a significant role in environmental conservation. A better understanding of certain behavioral patterns can help managers manage protected areas more effectively. This is particularly beneficial for the conservation of water and its delicate environment. However, technology must be used in a regulated and transparent manner. Otherwise, AI might be used to abuse the environment, which is something we absolutely don’t want.
Taking Care of Health Problems
In recent years, technologies to diagnose, monitor, and treat a patient’s well-being have been created (SMA org, 2021). Some of them have been extensively utilized in clinical settings with actual patients. This group of strategies has been demonstrated to outperform professional doctors in several areas, resulting in more accurate illness diagnosis and treatment.
Wearable gadgets that may identify early indications of diabetes using heart rate sensor data are another example of AI in health. If these gadgets were less expensive, they could help about 400 million people with diabetes around the world (Ellahham, 2020).
When it comes to healthcare, human mistakes are also a huge problem. Incomplete medical records and high patient loads may lead to deadly human errors. AI, which is resistant to these factors, can predict and identify sickness at a faster rate than most doctors. In one study, an AI model based on algorithms and deep learning recognized breast cancer at a rate that was greater than many pathologists.
The influence of AI on medication development is another prospective use of the technology. When researchers handed yeast testing duties to a robot named Adam in 2007, it was one of the most significant AI advancements in drug development (Yong, 2009). Adam used public libraries to sift through huge quantities of data to speculate on the functions of 19 genes in yeast, resulting in nine fresh and precise ideas. Eve, Adam’s robot friend, found out that triclosan, a natural substance found in toothpaste, may kill malaria parasites.
Energy Solutions: Artificial Intelligence
The benefits of AI may also be seen in the energy industry. It may be used to cut down on energy use while also encouraging the adoption of renewable and inexpensive energy sources. Smart power networks, for example, have the ability to balance demand for electricity with diverse renewable energy sources. However, we must use caution in this area as well. As the need for ICT solutions grows, so does the demand for digital technology. So, the more ICT solutions that are made, the more power is used, which goes against the goals that were set.
How Can Agriculture Be Improved to Fight Hunger?
According to the United Nations, increasing the world’s food supply by 70% by 2050 will be required to feed the world’s population (Silva, 2016). Because time is of the essence, AI systems may be used to expedite the search for suitable answers. The goal is to make our food production more intelligent and cost-effective.
Today, up to half of the world’s food, if not more, ends up in landfills. Food sorting machines, which are controlled by AI that assesses and splits food into “good” and “bad,” are one answer to this issue. For example, if the algorithm is tasked with analyzing a tomato, it may determine whether or not it is fit for use in a salad. If the fruit isn’t suitable for a salad, it may be used to make tomato juice.
Conclusion
To make considerable progress, governments, NGOs, charities, technology companies, and organizations that collect or create huge amounts of data will need to take some real steps. Two major roadblocks exist in the deployment of AI innovation to achieve the UN SDGs: 1. the problem of obtaining critical information, 2. a scarcity of AI-trained people to create, improve, and deploy algorithms and machines.
Furthermore, using AI technology solutions would entail several hazards. Authorities and other stakeholders may use their tools and methods in ways that hurt the people they are meant to help, either on purpose or by accident.
AI is not a panacea for all of humanity’s problems. However, when it comes to AI and the SDGs, it has the potential to be a strong instrument with a beneficial influence. We must not only make it easier to create apps but also encourage their responsible and deliberate usage at all levels. The purpose of AI, in this case, is to advance the technology and turn it into a potent tool for addressing environmental, societal, and governmental challenges.
References
Arthur Neslen, How AI can fight climate change, 2021, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/08/how-ai-can-fight-climate-change/
Daniele Silvestro, Stefano Goria, Thomas Sterner and Alexandre Antonelli, Improving biodiversity protection through artificial intelligence, Nature Sustainability 5, pages 415–424, 2022, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-022-00851-6
SMA org, AI in medical diagnosis, 2021, https://sma.org/ai-in-medical-diagnosis/
Samer Ellahham, Artificial Intelligence: The Future for Diabetes Care, 2020, https://www.middleeastmedicalportal.com/artificial-intelligence-the-future-for-diabetes-care/
Ed Yong, Enter Adam, the Robot Scientist, 2009, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/enter-adam-the-robot-scientist
José Graziano Da Silva, Feeding the World Sustainably, 2016, https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/feeding-world-sustainably
(Picture credits missing, BW)