Heather DaSilva
Global GenAI Advanced Research Centre of Excellence Leader, EY
Vinod Chandran
EMEIA lead at the Innovation and Incubation Lab, Global Delivery Services India, LLP, EY
Find out how AI, through equitable access to technology and education, enhances daily tasks and drives societal and environmental progress.
In a world increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence (AI), the technology has the potential to positively contribute to societal and environmental issues. But realising this potential requires equitable access to AI technology and education for everyone.
Equal access to AI knowledge
Education is the foundation for an inclusive AI future. At EY, a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and consulting services, Heather DaSilva, who is the EY Global GenAI Advanced Research Centre of Excellence Leader, advocates for democratising AI skills. She believes that technology can act as a force for positive change across diverse populations, helping enable disadvantaged groups to develop solutions by, and for, their own communities.
The EY organisation is educating its professionals across the globe on AI and other technologies via its EY Badges programme, which encourages EY people to learn future-focused skills, challenging participants with new experiences. The development of AI knowledge within the EY people is a means to a greater end: supporting individuals to make a tangible difference with their clients, but also in society. The latter being the ethos behind the EY Ripples programme, which bridges personal development with community impact.
Impacting communities through tech education
The EY Ripples programme, aimed at positively impacting a billion lives by 2030, is a testament to the organisation’s dedication to corporate social responsibility. The focus is on supporting the next generation of talent, working with impact entrepreneurs to scale solutions to global problems and helping deliver business models that protect and regenerate the environment.
For example, a recent Ripples opportunity, which more than 1,000 professionals have already signed up for, is to work with Technovation, a global tech education nonprofit, empowering girls to become leaders, creators and problem-solvers. EY professionals are providing coaching and feedback throughout the girls’ learning experience.
DaSilva, who has herself mentored two young people in New York to equip them with transferable skills, commented: “Ripples is a fantastic opportunity to augment our work and do something close to our heart — for example, mixing AI education with combating gender inequity.” This empowers staff to extend their own knowledge to underserved communities via mentoring, teaching, and helping with business plans.
Scalable AI for global impact
Vinod Chandran, EY EMEIA lead at the Innovation and Incubation lab, emphasises the importance of designing scalable AI applications to really be a driver of change. Chandran sits at the forefront of innovation in Tech at EY, converting ideas into prototypes to help solve business problems using AI.
“One of the main challenges is the digital divide between those who have access to modern information and communication technology and those who do not,” he says. The organisation is working to close the internet availability and affordability gap by dedicating CSR programmes to underserved groups.
The promise of AI for societal and environmental good comes with challenges that must be acknowledged and addressed. Overcoming these hurdles is crucial for the ethical advancement of AI.
Tackling burning issues with a responsible approach
Chandran emphasises that AI has the potential to revolutionise the way environmental and societal challenges are being addressed, yet dependent on widespread access to technology.
For example, GenerativeAI (GenAI) is already improving disaster management by predicting flood-prone areas and alerting at-risk communities. It’s instrumental in climate modelling, helping to predict future conditions and inform policy decisions. Overall, AI is a vital tool in combating climate change, offering solutions for weather forecasting, pollution detection and sustainable agriculture.
Lastly, Chandran warns that reaping AI’s benefits requires addressing privacy, accountability and environmental concerns. AI technology development must not only be effective but ethically responsible. “To truly benefit the environment and society, AI solutions must be designed with sustainability in mind,” Chandran concludes.
The views reflected in this article are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the global EY organisation or its member firms.
