Researchers are encouraged to reach out to their networks, as well as members of the public, to seek nominations. However, we strongly recommend that networks take a proactive approach to encourage their researchers to put them forward. There are 8 categories in which you can put forward nominations – and you can do so in as many as you like. Each category will have a set of specific questions to guide the nominator, and a 300-word limit for each.

We aim to help advance the state-of-the art in some of the most challenging and exciting problems in Development with Artificial Intelligence, not only in the Global south but the Global North as well. We are seeking to award machine learning research on the following topics related to Sustainable Development Goals – Climate change, Assistive technologies, Health, Education, Circular economy, Mobility, Financial inclusion/ Social impact.

The SDGs that would be targeted in the first round of the awards would be:
Category 1 – Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being – Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Category 2 – Goal 4: Quality Education – Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning
Category 3 – Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Category 4 – Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Category 5 – Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Category 6 – Goal 13: Climate Action – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Cross-cutting Priorities:
Category 7 – Goal 5: Gender Equality – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Category 8 – Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities – Reduce inequality within and among countries

As it is difficult to pinpoint AI solutions the address only one SDG, we would organize the prizes around the following themes:
Theme 1 – Education (SDG 4)
Theme 2 – Healthcare (SDG 3)
Theme 3 – Climate (SDG 13)
Theme 4 – Assistive technologies (SDG 11, 12, 9)
Theme 5 – Circular Economy (SDG 11, 12, 9)

We are specifically looking to support research in the format of projects or segments of larger research endeavors:

• Conducted across all UN regions major areas designated as: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Northern America, and Oceania.
• With a strong Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence or Data Science component, in any discipline of science.
• With a strong emphasis on producing solutions in one or more Sustainable Development Goals.
• Reaching tangible results and deliverable outcomes by the end of May 2021.

• Scientific Excellence: Originality of the key idea
• Sustainable Development: Centrality of AI to delivering the solution
• Impact: The potential impact on the particular SDG(s) either in measuring its KPIs or delivering systems that will improve them
• Implementation: The demonstration of the potential in the work completed as either a proof of concept or research work completed
• Ethics: Ethical Design of the AI (according to the EU/OECD standards)

After the nomination window closes on 30 April 2021, nominations will be sent to the relevant IRCAI Programme Committees for initial sifting. The panels will each choose two nominations in each category to go forward – this will include a champion and a runner up to be announced in July 2021. All champions will be invited and assisted by IRCAI in preparing a presentation during June 2021 and delivering it at the IRCAI award ceremony in Ljubljana, Slovenia in July 2021 where our winners will be presented all UNESCO Member States!