ALEXANDRA LUCCIONI: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

In the discussion on artificial intelligence, AI, how do you stay positive given the barrage of stories detailing misuse of this technological advance? The answer is you look for scientists who are putting AI to work for humanity. You look for AI researchers and National Geographic Society Explorers like Canadian Alexandra (Sasha) Luccioni.

“I am currently a postdoctoral IVADO fellow at University of Montreal and Mila, the Quebec AI Institute, working with Yoshua Bengio on how to use AI to fight climate change,” Luccioni says. IVADO, The Institute for Data Valorization, is a multi-university center for AI research in Montreal.

“I lead various climate change-related initiatives at Mila, including projects that estimate the environmental impact of machine learning and analyze financial disclosures from a climate standpoint.” Her goal is to find ways to maximize the positive impacts of AI while minimizing the negative ones.

Luccioni also works on “AI for Good” projects with the United Nations and the World Health Organization. “I care deeply about the state of our planet and I hope to participate in the positive changes required to save it in the coming years.” She holds a Ph.D. in cognitive computing from the Université du Québec à Montréal, UQAM.