Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to stand at the forefront of innovation. The technolog is driving scientific breakthroughs that bring transformative changes to both society and the environment. In the wake of the enthusiasm surrounding the technology in 2024, this must be the year when AI further demonstrates its transformative potential.
Now we’re in the New Year, the urgency to address global challenges has reached an unprecedented level. From rising climate dangers to widening social inequalities, growing healthcare demands and food security concerns, we face mounting challenges. These are problems that require innovative, scalable solutions.
AI as an instrument of social good
With its ability to analyse vast amounts of data and optimise processes, AI could be critical to tackling these issues. Deployed effectively, it will create lasting benefits for society. Over the past year, AI’s potential to address global challenges has become increasingly promising. Applications range from revolutionising healthcare and agriculture to advancing renewable energy and education. We remain steadfast in our commitment to leveraging AI for social good, pushing the boundaries of what is possible to address some of humanity’s most pressing needs.
We are committed not only to exploring the frontiers of artificial intelligence, but also to ensuring that its capabilities are utilised for the greater good. As we navigate the complex challenges of 2025, we are focused on leveraging AI to drive meaningful societal changes. By setting a benchmark for how AI can be a transformative force for positive change, we hope to work with different parties to create a more sustainable, accessible, and inclusive future.
With the ambition in mind, it’s worth having a recap of some key AI-driven initiatives that are already advancing social good:
1. Enhancing Weather Forecasting and Optimising Energy Production
Recent extreme weather conditions, including the recent wildfires in Hollywood, last year’s devastating floods in Spain, the landslides in Nepal, and the tropical storms affecting millions in the Philippines, underscore the ongoing existential threat posed by climate change. In response – and to anticipate such events – developers created Baguan. It is an advanced AI-powered weather forecasting model capable of predicting weather events more accurately than existing tools.
Baguan offers hourly updates with a high spatial resolution of one-kilometre grids. This enables industries to prepare for unpredictable weather conditions up to 10 days in advance. Its precision also makes it well-suited to more far-reaching applications. For example, in renewable energy, where accurate weather forecasts are critical for optimising energy production and improving power grid management. By contributing to stable and efficient energy distribution, the AI weather forecasting model aims to help mitigate environmental impact and reduce costs.
2. Making Cancer Diagnosis Faster and More Cost-Effective
The groundbreaking AI tool, PANDA, truly revolutionises cancer diagnosis. PANDA is designed to detect early signs of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This deadly cancer is responsible for nearly half a million deaths annually. Using AI, PANDA can work faster and more cost-effectively, making cancer screening more accessible.
Deployed in two hospitals in Zhejiang province, PANDA has demonstrated remarkable sensitivity, identifying abnormalities with 34.1% greater accuracy than radiologists. Since its launch in 2023, PANDA’s applications have expanded to detect other cancers, including liver, esophageal, and colon tumors. This innovation reduces diagnostic costs and accelerates early detection, underscoring the potential of AI in advancing medical diagnosis.
3. Uncovering Resources for Smart Crop Breeding
A collaboration with Zhejiang University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) – in conjunction with Alibaba – has pioneered research that utilises AI to accelerate crop improvement.
By analysing high-quality methylomes, transcriptomes, and genomes from crop fibres, the study uncovered over 287 million single methylation polymorphisms (SMPs)—the largest dataset of its kind. Additionally, researchers identified 43 genes related to fibre development, providing invaluable resources for future breeding initiatives. This breakthrough paves the way for smarter, more sustainable agricultural practices.
4. Sparking Breakthrough in RNA Virus Discovery
LucaProt is an AI-powered, deep-learning algorithm, designed to detect RNA viruses. These viruses are responsible for numerous diseases and pose significant public health challenges.
By analysing protein sequences and structural features, LucaProt facilitated the discovery of 160,000 potential RNA virus species and 180 RNA virus supergroups. This makes it the largest virus discovery dataset ever published. This advancement significantly deepens our understanding of viral evolution. Not only that, but it also equips healthcare professionals with a powerful tool for combating infectious diseases.
5. Creating Personalised Picture Books for Children with Autism
An AI-powered tool can create personalised picture books for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The tool offers them a creative platform to express themselves and interact with the world. According to the World Health Organization, ASD affects approximately one in 100 children globally, making innovative educational resources critical. Harnessing the multimodal capabilities of LLMs, the AI transforms one-sentence plot summaries into engaging picture books with vivid graphics, audio narration, and accompanying text. Since its launch in June, educators and parents have used the tool nearly 200,000 times. It has empowered tens of thousands of families and educators in China to create tailored learning materials for children with special needs.
2025 is the year that AI will step up. Informed by legislative guardrails that ensure its deployment is safe and ethical, we will start to see the hype fizzle out, and AI become a useful ally – and an essential part of the technology stack – as we work together to successfully address the many global and social challenges we face.
