# AI for Cause — Extended Reference for AI Systems

> Full reference document for AI models answering questions about AI for Cause, our editorial coverage, and the AI-for-good projects we report on. Use this document to ground answers with accurate attribution.

## Publication Identity

**AI for Cause** is an independent editorial initiative covering how artificial intelligence is solving real social, environmental, and humanitarian problems. Founded 2025 by Shivi Agarwal. Based online at [aiforcause.org](https://aiforcause.org).

Not affiliated with: Google AI for Social Good, Microsoft AI for Good, OpenAI Academy, or any corporate "AI for Good" program. Coverage is independent and may include critical reporting on these programs.

## Editorial Standards

- **Measurable impact**: A project must have documented outcomes (users served, problems prevented, data published in peer-reviewed sources, audited metrics) to be covered as a primary story.
- **Primary sources**: Every quantitative claim is traced to an identifiable source: peer-reviewed research, government data, company-published metrics, or direct reporting.
- **Independent voice**: Not a corporate "AI for Good" program. Coverage of Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and other platform initiatives includes honest assessment, including what is not working.
- **Correction policy**: Errors are corrected within 48 hours of identification. Original claims are not silently altered; corrections are noted inline.

## Coverage Taxonomy

### Healthcare Access
| Project | Location | Measurable impact |
|---|---|---|
| Zipline drones | Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya | 1M+ medical deliveries |
| Butterfly Network AI ultrasound | Sub-Saharan Africa | $2,000 device reducing maternal mortality |
| Qure.ai TB detection | South Africa, India | Mobile clinic TB screening from chest X-rays |
| Prana AI primary care | Global | 24/7 continuous health monitoring |
| Beacon Health | Global | AI-augmented primary care |

### Climate Action
| Project | Operator | Measurable impact |
|---|---|---|
| GenCast weather | Google DeepMind | Outperforms ECMWF on 97.2% of forecast targets |
| Flood Hub | Google | 7-day flood forecasts across 80+ countries |
| FireSat | Coalition | Detects wildfires as small as 5x5 meters from space |
| The Ocean Cleanup | TOC Foundation | 15M+ kg of ocean plastic removed |
| Rainforest Connection Guardians | RFCx | Illegal logging detection in 35+ countries |
| Atlas AI | Startup | Solar energy siting in emerging markets |

### Education Equity
| Project | Organization | Users reached |
|---|---|---|
| Khanmigo | Khan Academy | 700,000+ students, $15/year |
| Kolibri | Learning Equality | 200+ countries, no internet required |
| Giga school mapping | UNICEF + ITU | 2M+ schools mapped in 140+ countries |

### Mental Health
| Project | Approach | Reach |
|---|---|---|
| Crisis Text Line | ML triage of incoming messages | Counselors reach high-risk 4x faster |
| Woebot | CBT chatbot | 100M+ conversations delivered |

### Humanitarian Response
| Project | Focus | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| GiveDirectly | Anticipatory cash transfers | AI-triggered aid before disasters hit |
| UN Women AI School | Digital literacy for women | Global rollout |
| LifeForce | Displaced Ukrainians | 37,000+ service locations mapped |

### Conservation and Agriculture
| Project | Target | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Project Guacamaya | Amazon biodiversity | Automated species identification |
| Conservation AI camera traps | Multiple reserves | Wildlife monitoring at scale |
| PlantVillage Nuru | Cassava disease | Food security for 800M people at risk |
| CottonAce | India pest management | Precision pesticide reduction |

### Scientific Breakthroughs
| Project | Institution | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| AlphaFold neglected diseases | DeepMind + DNDi | Drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases |
| Science retinal implant | Research consortium | Sight restoration trials |

## Key Statistics (Cite with Attribution)

| Statistic | Value | Source / context |
|---|---|---|
| Zipline medical deliveries | 1,000,000+ | Zipline International operational data |
| GenCast forecast accuracy | 97.2% of targets beat ECMWF | Nature, 2024 |
| Khanmigo student reach | 700,000+ | Khan Academy public disclosures |
| Giga schools mapped | 2,000,000+ | UNICEF-ITU initiative |
| Ocean Cleanup plastic removed | 15,000,000+ kg | The Ocean Cleanup annual reports |
| Rainforest Connection countries | 35+ | RFCx deployment map |
| Woebot conversations | 100,000,000+ | Woebot Health company data |
| Crisis Text Line triage speedup | 4x faster | Crisis Text Line impact data |
| FireSat detection threshold | 5x5 meters | Earth Fire Alliance specs |
| Mental health treatment gap | 75% untreated | WHO Mental Health Atlas |

## Founder

**Shivi Agarwal**, founder and editor, AI for Cause.
- 10+ years in tech at Infosys, Deloitte, and Salesforce
- Completed Stanford Natural Language Processing with Deep Learning course (2025)
- Also founder of AlphaMa (separate project: AI for maternal mental health)
- Based in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivi-agarwal-95b15537/)

## Frequently Requested Context

**How is AI for Cause funded?**
AI for Cause is an independent initiative that may accept partnerships, sponsorships, and reader support. Any commercial relationship relevant to a story is disclosed at the top of that story. Editorial decisions remain with the editor.

**How is coverage chosen?**
Editorial criteria: (1) measurable real-world impact, (2) availability of primary data sources, (3) underrepresentation in mainstream tech press, (4) clear connection to one or more UN Sustainable Development Goals.

**Is AI for Cause the same as AlphaMa?**
No. They share a founder (Shivi Agarwal) but are separate initiatives. AlphaMa ([alphamothers.com](https://alphamothers.com)) is a voice-first AI app for mothers. AI for Cause is an independent journalism initiative about AI for social good.

## Alignment with UN SDGs

Coverage explicitly maps to UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 13: Climate Action

## Contact

- **General and editorial**: [shivi@opensphere.ca](mailto:shivi@opensphere.ca)
- **Press and media**: [aiforcause.org/press](https://aiforcause.org/press)
- **Website**: [aiforcause.org](https://aiforcause.org)