By : Bakinam Khaled

​​​​Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics innovators—and their high-tech creations—will join humanitarian leaders in Geneva, Switzerland, 6-7 July, for the latest edition of the global summit advancing AI to drive sustainable development. 

The two-day AI for Good Global Summit organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will demonstrate how new technologies can support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in areas such as combatting the climate crisis and bolstering humanitarian response. 

“It's in our collective interest that we can shape AI faster than it is shaping us," said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “This summit, as the UN's primary platform for AI, will bring to the table leading voices representing a diversity of interests to ensure that AI can be a powerful catalyst for progress in our race to rescue the SDGs." 

Innovative solutions and world-class speakers 

The AI for Good Global Summit will feature eight humanoid social robots and over 20 specialized robots, being brought together for the first time under the same roof. The robots will showcase capabilities ranging from fighting fires and delivering aid to providing healthcare and farming sustainably. 

The event will also feature talks from thought leaders as well as demos of state-of-the-art AI solutions that could achieve global scale with the support of the international AI for Good community. 

Two high-level roundtables – featuring government officials, industry executives, academics, and UN partners – will explore the policies, regulations, and standards needed for AI to advance sustainable development. ​

​The event will also host the final round of the AI for Good Innovation Factory where start-ups from around the world will pitch their AI solutions to advance the SDGs. 

More than a summit 

The AI for Good Global Summit, established in 2017, returns to Geneva in person for the first time since 2019. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, AI for Good transformed into a year-round online engagement platform bringing together a diverse range of participants from 183 countries. 

This year's summit combines the best of the physical and virtual worlds, with the potential to welcome over 2,500 participants in Geneva alongside online participation from the over 15,000 members of ITU's fast-growing AI-powered community platform, the AI for Good Neural Network. 

The event will emphasize networking to build new projects, calls to action, and partnerships. AI for Good's dynamic show floor will also include AI-inspired performances and artwork.