The Bezos Earth Fund has announced $30 million in new investments to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in addressing environmental challenges — from decoding the songs of endangered birds to automating plant species identification.
Fifteen global teams have been selected as Phase II awardees of the AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge, each receiving up to $2 million to scale AI-driven solutions tackling biodiversity loss, climate change, and food insecurity.
Launched in 2024, the Grand Challenge supports breakthrough AI applications for the planet. The latest round builds on the success of Phase I, unveiled in May, which funded early-stage concepts demonstrating AI’s potential for environmental innovation.
“AI can be a powerful ally to help make the world a better place,” said Lauren Sánchez Bezos, Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund. “These innovators are reimagining how we grow food, protect wildlife, and power our planet.”
The winning projects span five continents — from coral reef monitoring networks in the Pacific to weather forecasting models for African farmers — led by organisations such as The Nature Conservancy, Yale University, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Cornell University, and the New York Botanical Garden.
Over the next several years, the awardees will implement and refine their solutions, measuring impact and sharing findings. “We’re focused on making AI work for the environment — not the other way around,” said Dr. Amen Ra Mashariki, Director of AI at the Bezos Earth Fund. “These projects show how AI, when guided by science and responsibility, can strengthen environmental action and community resilience.”
The initiative is supported by partners including Amazon Web Services, Google.org, Microsoft Research, Ai2, and Esri, which provided mentorship and computing resources.
