Google.org invests major $1.5 million boost to enhance AI

Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, has announced a further investment of USD $1.5 million to enhance the AI capabilities of humanitarian and environmental nonprofits across the Asia-Pacific.

This financial boost is a part of the Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Program, which is supported by the Asian Development Bank and Infoxchange.

The aim of the initiative is to assist nonprofit organisations in addressing some of today's most pressing issues—such as poverty, inequality, and the climate crisis—by leveraging advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI).

This announcement was made recently by Maggie Johnson, Global Head and Vice President of Google.org, during the Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Summit held at Google headquarters in Singapore.

Johnson stated, "Google.org is proud to support Infoxchange's AI and tech capacity-building program for NGOs in the Asia-Pacific region. By leveraging experts and resources with tailored solutions, this initiative is crucial in making the most of AI, digitally transforming operations, and driving greater social impact in their communities."

This funding represents the second round of investment for the Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Program. The first round saw over $1 million invested to upskill organisations across the region. The approach involved collaborative forums, consulting sessions, and webinars, aimed at helping under-resourced organisations utilise technology to accelerate their impact.

The newly allocated funds will further bolster organisations that benefited from individualised technology assessments and coaching in the program's first iteration. The goal is for these organisations to harness AI and other innovative digital solutions to maximise their societal impact.

David Spriggs, CEO of Infoxchange, shared insights into the program's initial round of investments, which included a survey of nearly 1,600 nonprofit organisations across the Asia-Pacific to gauge their digital capabilities, challenges, and opportunities.

"We found that technological maturity was alarmingly low," he stressed.

The Asia-Pacific NGO Digital Capability report revealed several challenges faced by these organisations:

• One in six organisations experienced a cybersecurity incident in the last 12 months;
• Only 27% of organisations had moved to cloud computing solutions;
• 61% were less than satisfied with their current use of technology.

To address these issues, Spriggs emphasised the importance of equipping social impact organisations with the necessary tools, resources, and support to leverage technology in solving social problems.

"The environment is becoming increasingly challenging, and we need to ensure these organisations are not left behind as advancements in AI and technology progress," he added.

The Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Program is a collaborative effort spearheaded by Infoxchange, Australian Development Bank, and Google.org. The program aims to tackle significant humanitarian and environmental challenges in the region by empowering nonprofit organisations with advanced technology and digital solutions. The endeavour is seen as a pivotal move to integrating AI into impactful community-driven initiatives, helping to bridge the technological divide for nonprofit organisations that often lag behind the corporate sector in technological adoption and infrastructure.

This initiative also highlights the broader mission of Google.org, which combines funding, product donations, and technical expertise to support underserved communities and provide opportunities for substantial, scalable change. Through these efforts, Google.org engages with nonprofits, social enterprises, and civic entities to effect meaningful impacts on the communities they serve.

This second round of funding is positioned to build on the foundations laid during the first phase of the program, focusing on the scalability and effectiveness of AI and other digital solutions for social good.