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Artificial intelligence (AI) has been recognized as a significant driver for growth and productivity. However, it is essential that AI transcends being merely a profit-making tool. We must harness its potential to foster a sustainable, equitable, and fair economy.

To realize this vision, AI should be entrusted to social entrepreneurs, particularly those working with communities most impacted by social inequality and the climate crisis. These innovators can identify and scale new solutions to our most urgent challenges.

The Schwab Foundation’s “AI for Social Innovation” initiative, co-initiated by Microsoft and supported by the EY organization, recently drew on the experiences of 300 social innovators to illustrate how they are leveraging AI to tackle healthcare issues, provide environmental solutions, and create economic opportunities for marginalized communities.

For instance, in Brazil, black and indigenous women face a significantly higher risk of dying from cervical cancer. While AI presents opportunities for enhancing access to diagnostics, existing data is often biased towards white patients. Consequently, the social enterprise SAS Brasil is developing datasets aimed at addressing this bias and facilitating diagnostics for black and indigenous women.

Social entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned to spearhead a movement for ethical and responsible AI, yet many currently lack access to necessary resources. Only half of all social entrepreneurs possess the technical skills required to utilize AI effectively. Furthermore, while 50% of social enterprises are led by women, only 25% of those implementing AI have a female founder.

To integrate AI into their business models successfully, social entrepreneurs require support to scale positive impacts rapidly—ranging from access to medical treatment to educational outcomes and local environmental issues.

A fundamental aspect of ethically implementing AI is adopting a gradual approach that balances risks and rewards while enhancing organizational readiness over time.

The AI for Social Innovation initiative’s “PRISM Framework for Responsible AI in Social Innovation” emphasizes this incremental approach, encouraging organizations to leverage AI’s potential while safeguarding against harmful and unintended consequences.

We must empower social entrepreneurs at the forefront of the world’s social and environmental challenges, enabling them to harness AI’s transformative power to enhance health, living standards, environments, and opportunities for those who need change the most.

Gillian Hinde, EY global corporate responsibility leader, Justin Spelhaug, global head and corporate vice president, tech for social impact, Microsoft, and Daniel Nowack, head, Schwab Foundation’s Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, World Economic Forum

How can we give Hongkongers a better way to block cold calls?

In recent years, I’ve received daily nuisance cold calls from various salespeople.

Rejecting unknown numbers is not an option for me, as I often receive deliveries, and calls may come from drivers not saved in my contacts. Consequently, my blocked number list has grown into the hundreds.

When will the Office of the Communications Authority implement a “do not call” register for live calls?

Vince Pinto, Yuen Long