Microsoft's AI for Earth Innovation Grant gives data scientists access to AI tools

Microsoft and National Geographic are teaming up to support data scientists who are tackling the "world's biggest challenges." The two companies today announced the AI for Earth Innovation Grant program, a $1 million grant that'll provide recipients financial assistance, access to AI tools and cloud services, and more to advance conservation research. The grant program, which is accepting applications until October 8, will support between five and 15 projects in five core areas: agriculture, biodiversity, conservation, climate change, and water. In addition to funding, researchers will gain access to Microsoft's AI platform and development tools, inclusion in the National Geographic Explorer community, and affiliation with National Geographic Labs, National Geographic's research incubation and accelerator initiative. "[I]n Microsoft, we found a partner that is well-positioned to accelerate the pace of scientific research and new solutions to protect our natural world," Jonathan Baillie, chief scientist and executive vice president at the National Geographic Society, said in a statement.