Mon Sep 23 22:53:24 UTC 2024: ## US Announces $100 Million AI Initiative to Empower Global Communities

**New York, NY** – The US State Department has announced a $100 million initiative to expand the reach of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies worldwide, in partnership with USAID and private sector giants. The initiative, dubbed the “Partnership of Global Inclusivity on AI,” aims to make AI accessible to communities around the globe, particularly in low and middle-income countries.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveiled the plan at a UN AI Summit, emphasizing the importance of inclusive AI development to address global challenges like climate change, disease outbreaks, and food insecurity. He stated that “Making AI inclusive is not an act of generosity, but an act that is in our national interest, and in the interest of our firms, of our entrepreneurs, and our investors.”

The initiative focuses on three key areas:

* **AI Computing:** Investing in infrastructure to enable developers in developing countries to build AI models and applications tailored to local needs.
* **AI Capacity:** Empowering communities to use and adapt AI tools by providing training and resources.
* **AI Context:** Supporting the development of localized solutions that leverage local data sets.

The $100 million commitment includes $33 million in US foreign assistance, with $10 million specifically dedicated to expanding access to AI technology. Congress will also provide $23 million to support the development of safe and reliable AI governance frameworks.

Leading AI companies, including OpenAI, NVIDIA, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, Anthropic, Jacaranda Health, Google, and Meta, have also pledged support for the initiative.

OpenAI announced the launch of the OpenAI Academy, offering training and access to its technologies to developers and organizations in low and middle-income countries. Microsoft has committed to building AI data centers in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa, with $500 million allocated for free access to AI resources for nonprofits in the Global South.

Google plans to expand its Google Translate service to over 1,000 languages and is deploying AI-enabled flood forecasting tools to reach nearly half a billion people worldwide. Meta has pledged over $10 million for open-source AI innovation, focusing on communities in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. NVIDIA will invest $10 million annually to upskill AI developers in emerging countries.

This collaborative effort aims to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared globally, fostering innovation and progress in communities around the world.

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