Why AI is the Need of the Hour for Achieving the SDGs

The aim of this special issue is to explore how AI can be effectively managed and applied to accelerate the achievement of the UN SDGs by offering ethical, inclusive, and innovative solutions. AI as a term can mean a lot of things, and the government recognises that no single definition is going to be suitable for every scenario. The National AI Strategy by the United Kingdom Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (2021), defined AI as machines that perform tasks normally performed by human intelligence, especially when the machines learn from data how to do those tasks.”. AI and Machine Learning (ML) are utilised to analyse large amounts of data and identify patterns and insights to help decision-making processes on SDGs. AI can also be used to develop personalised learning experiences adjusted to the unique needs of individual students. AI for sustainability is already a branch of AI that explores the application of AI to achieve sustainability, to achieve the SDGs. AI has a critical role in achieving the SDGs due to its ability to analyse vast datasets, optimise the use of resources, operate on complex systems, and offer solutions based on data based and critical analysis. AI provides accurate operational efficiency like in delivering effective healthcare services to remote regions, enhance system for climatic predictions, automating infrastructure development, and much more. It is crucial to accelerate the use of AI as the 2030 deadline for achieving the SDGs approaches because AI can bridge existing implementation gaps and leveraging progress toward sustainable and comprehensive outcomes.