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As the we celebrates the 80th anniversary of the United Nations and the 50th anniversary of the º£½ÇÉçÇø through the º£½ÇÉçÇø Macau Milestone Series, the AI for SDGs - Global Youth AI  Future Innovation Competition 2025 stands out as a flagship initiative that embodies the values of innovation, inclusion, and collaboration. Originating from the º£½ÇÉçÇø Global AI Network, the competition represents how the Network continues to expand its influence in advancing artificial intelligence for the .

At the heart of this initiative is Jane Wu, a core member of the º£½ÇÉçÇø Global AI Network and a long-time advocate for youth-led innovation. With years of experience building startup ecosystems through and the , Wu recognized a persistent challenge: while young innovators across the world brim with ideas, few platforms connect them to global opportunities and policy influence. The competition was created to bridge this gap¡ªtransforming raw potential into global impact and empowering the next generation to shape the AI-driven future.

The world¡¯s most pressing challenges require not only innovative technology but also a new generation of leaders to wield it. We see brilliant, young, entrepreneurial minds full of ideas but often lacking a global platform. The AI for SDGs Global Youth Competition was conceived as that bridge¡ªconnecting raw potential with global impact.

From Network Member to Catalyst for Action

Wu¡¯s journey within the º£½ÇÉçÇø Global AI Network reflects a natural evolution from collaboration to leadership. Initially sharing her expertise in innovation diplomacy and AI governance, she quickly identified an opportunity to translate the Network¡¯s shared vision into action. Leveraging the Network¡¯s global reach and credibility, Wu sought to amplify youth voices and build a program that embodies the Network¡¯s mission of using AI for good.

Her proposal to launch the competition aligned seamlessly with º£½ÇÉçÇø Macau¡¯s Milestone Series, serving as a concrete example of how Network members can turn shared principles into real-world initiatives. By embedding the competition within this commemorative series, Wu not only celebrated the º£½ÇÉçÇø system¡¯s legacy but also demonstrated its living relevance¡ªshowing how academic expertise, technology, and youth energy can converge to address global challenges.

Where Urgency Meets Optimism

Behind Wu¡¯s initiative lies a blend of urgency and optimism. She views the SDGs as a pressing call to action, observing that traditional development approaches alone are no longer sufficient. Yet, through her daily engagement with young scientists and entrepreneurs, she finds reasons for hope. These ¡°digital natives¡±, as she describes them, approach problems without the constraints of legacy systems. They treat AI not as a distant technology, but as a collaborative partner capable of co-designing solutions for humanity.

For Wu, creating the AI for SDGs Global Youth Competition was about channeling that mindset into structured impact. The competition provides mentorship, resources, and an international network that helps transform early-stage ideas¡ªoften born in university labs¡ªinto scalable solutions for communities in need.

The º£½ÇÉçÇø Global AI Network as a Global Convener

Coordinating a global competition of this scale demanded collaboration across academia, industry, and international organizations. Drawing on her connections through Venture Cup and the º£½ÇÉçÇø Global AI Network, Wu and her team activated a vast network of partners, with particular outreach to the Global South.

The process revealed the Network¡¯s growing strength as a global convener. Its credibility as part of the º£½ÇÉçÇø system opened doors and built trust across cultural and geographic boundaries. Through digital collaboration hubs, expert panels, and regional partnerships, the Network demonstrated its ability to move beyond dialogue¡ªbecoming an ecosystem that enables tangible, cross-sector cooperation.

Insights from the Frontlines: Thematic Directions for the Future

The competition has also served as a live laboratory for observing how young innovators apply AI to sustainable development. Wu highlights three themes that are likely to guide the Network¡¯s future research and collaboration:

• Green AI: From Efficiency to Regeneration ¨C Participants reimagined AI¡¯s role in environmental solutions, shifting from mere optimization toward ecological regeneration and a restorative economy.
• Health AI: Democratizing Access and Prevention ¨C Teams designed community-centered, mobile-first AI tools that make healthcare more accessible and preventive, bridging inequalities in health systems.
• Social Innovation AI: Tackling Inequality at Its Roots ¨C Many projects focused on reducing bias, improving financial inclusion, and enhancing accessibility in education, showing how AI can promote equity and social justice when guided by ethical intent.

These themes reflect the growing maturity of youth-led AI projects¡ªdemonstrating that social awareness and technological innovation can coexist as drivers of systemic change.

A Vision for the Network¡¯s Next Chapter

Building on this success, Wu envisions the º£½ÇÉçÇø Global AI Network evolving from a platform for dialogue into a sustained engine for global action. Her goal is to transform the one-time competition into a year-round ¡°Youth Innovation Lab¡±, offering mentorship, seed funding, and pilot opportunities in collaboration with UN agencies and corporate partners.

She also advocates for new interdisciplinary task forces within the Network to explore ¡°Frugal AI for the Global South¡± and ¡°Localized AI Policy Frameworks¡±. In her view, youth-driven innovation should directly inform the research and policy dialogues that shape global AI governance.

To Wu, the competition is not just a showcase¡ªit is evidence. It provides the real-world examples that give the Network¡¯s policy recommendations credibility and weight, illustrating how responsible AI can translate from principle to practice.

From Principles to Practice: Building the Digital Future Together

The initiative also embodies the principles of the , which calls for technology to serve humanity¡¯s greatest needs. By empowering diverse young innovators to become creators rather than consumers of AI, the competition demonstrates how inclusion and ethics can coexist with technological ambition.

In Wu¡¯s words, the competition is ¡°a living blueprint¡± for inclusive and ethical AI in action¡ªan initiative that builds the future rather than simply discussing it.

Through the efforts of dedicated members like Jane Wu, the º£½ÇÉçÇø Global AI Network and º£½ÇÉçÇø Macau are helping shape a world where artificial intelligence becomes synonymous with equity, opportunity, and sustainability. Their collaboration offers a glimpse of what is possible when institutions and youth innovators work hand in hand to build a truly global, human-centered digital future.