At its first ever Impact Summit, Google.org has announced plans to accelerate its impact on the world’s largest problems with AI. iRAP is proud to be a partner addressing road traffic crashes that are the leading cause of death among children and young people worldwide.

Over the past five years, Google.org has provided more than $200 million to assist organizations using advanced applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support pressing social challenges.

iRAP’s US$2 million Google.org grant project is currently underway in Vietnam leveraging AI to scale up iRAP’s Star Rating for Schools and AiRAP partnerships to provide 3-star or better journeys to school.

Our innovation partnerships with Google and Google.org have also contributed to iRAP partners’ global impact that has seen almost 700,000 deaths and serious injuries saved since 2016 through safer road infrastructure and safer speeds informed by the iRAP methodology and tools.

Google.org is now reimagining its role in the AI era, with plans to invest more deeply with AI at the centre of its giving strategy.

It’s launched the ‘Get Back Time’ initiative with $17 million of funding to support NGOs adopt generative AI around three key areas where it believes AI can make the most impact – knowledge, skills and learning; scientific advancement; and resilient communities.

iRAP’s Global Technical Director James Bradford is at the Google.org Impact Summit this week in California, alongside the top voices in social impact discussing exciting applications of technology.

Speakers have shared how Google.org’s funding has enabled significant impact in the non-profit sector, how NGOs have effectively applied AI, and how to fund AI responsibly.

iRAP’s AiRAP Initiative is an example of the responsible application of AI for social good. AiRAP is supporting the ‘accelerated and intelligent’ capture of road safety-related data using automatic, repeatable and scalable methods to support road safety assessment, crash risk mapping and investment prioritisation for all road users.

In its press release issued yesterday, the philanthropy said, “Over the last 20 years Google.org has worked with incredible committed partners to bring opportunity to more people around the world, and AI provides us with a profound opportunity to have even greater impact over the next 20 years.”

Speaking from the event, James said, “Our AI enabled Star Rating for Schools partnership with Google.org is a game-changer for global road safety that will support sustainable mobility for youth and contribute to at least eight of the UN Global Goals.

“Our ultimate dream is to Star Rate every road on earth and ensure every journey is safer. Achieving the UN target for most travel to be on 3-star or better roads will help save nearly 330 million deaths and injuries over the life of the upgrades, and AI and our Google.org partnership are helping to accelerate this lifesaving impact.”