The Bezos Earth Fund announced the launch of the AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge, with plans to grant up to $100 million to advance AI-based solutions aimed at addressing climate change and nature loss.

The Bezos Earth Fund was founded in 2020, with a $10 billion philanthropic commitment from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, aimed at funding scientists, activists, NGOs and others driving solutions to fight climate change and protect nature. The fund has provided over 230 grants to date, allocating approximately $2 billion, and aims to fully disburse the $10 billion pledge by 2030.

Jeff Bezos 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.”

According to the fund, the challenge will include a series of rounds targeting priority areas, with the first focused on solutions in key areas including sustainable proteins, biodiversity conservation, and power grid optimization, and also including a “Wild Card” category for powerful ideas outside of the three focus areas. Each round will also include two funding opportunities, with up to 30 seed grants awarded for promising AI ideas addressing the focus areas in the first phase, and the awardees eligible to apply for grants of up to $2 million to grow their concepts into viable solutions, in addition to receiving mentorship, support from technology leaders, and access to computing infrastructure and relevant datasets in the second phase.

The fund said that applications for the challenge will open in May 2024, with the first phase awardees to be announced at a Bezos Earth Fund-TED event during Climate Week NYC in late September.

Bezos Earth Fund Vice Chair Lauren Sánchez said:

“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.”