Microsoft launches $5M AI grant program to drive positive social change in Washington state

Microsoft is launching a $5 million grant program called AI for Good Open Call to support AI innovation projects addressing social and scientific challenges in Washington state.

Program overview: Microsoft’s AI for Good Open Call will provide grants and collaborative opportunities with Microsoft AI scientists to organizations working on sustainability, public health, education, or human rights initiatives in Washington state.

• The program is open to nonprofits, academic institutions, researchers, startups, and businesses either based in Washington or benefiting the state’s residents
• Selected projects must demonstrate potential for creating unique, scalable solutions to major challenges
• Applicants need to have clean, accurate, and unbiased high-quality data to be considered

Key details: This initiative marks Microsoft’s 50th anniversary and represents a strategic investment in the company’s home state.

• The application deadline is February 17, 2025, with selected grantees to be notified by March 18, 2025
• Community members can ask questions about the application process through the Microsoft AI for Good Lab Open Call portal
• Successful applicants will gain access to Azure compute resources and collaboration opportunities with Microsoft’s AI experts

Leadership perspective: Microsoft executives emphasize the program’s focus on addressing local challenges while maintaining a global outlook.

• Juan Lavista Ferres, corporate vice president and chief data scientist of the AI for Good Lab, specifically highlighted opportunities for projects addressing sustainable energy development and housing affordability
• The initiative aligns with Microsoft’s broader mission of responsible AI development and deployment
• The program aims to showcase Washington state’s role in global innovation

Broader implications: This targeted regional investment could serve as a model for how large technology companies can support local innovation while advancing their broader AI development goals.

• The program’s focus on social and scientific challenges reflects growing interest in applying AI technology to solve real-world problems
• The requirement for clean, unbiased data sets a high standard for AI project development
• The initiative demonstrates how corporate philanthropy can be structured to simultaneously benefit local communities and advance technological progress