Can AI solve the world’s biggest problems? – Fast Company

Humanity is facing many challenges, from human rights to pandemics to climate change, and AI can be our best tool against them, says Alexandr Wang, CEO and founder of Scale AI. Thats what we dedicated Scale to: How do we enable the most ambitious organizations in the world to utilize artificial intelligence to solve the most transformational problems today?

On this weeks Most Innovative Companies podcast, Wang explains how Scale is making data useful in order to help not only tackle our biggest problems, but also unleash human creativity. He talks about why modern AI systems are no match for humans and never will be, how to foster innovation as a company scales in size, and why he believes that optimism can shape reality.

Over the last few months, Scale has been working closely with the U.S. and Ukrainian governments to better understand whats happening in the region. Weve used satellite data and ran artificial intelligence algorithms on top of that data to map out all of the major cities: Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Mariupol, Wang says. And then we mapped out, on a day-by-day basis, the level of damage to every single structure within these citiesliterally building by building.

This effort is enabling both governments to divert humanitarian and medical resources where theyre needed most, answering questions such as what is the level of damage that is being caused by the war with Russia, how can we divert infrastructure projects, and how can we divert our resources to immediately address wherever theres meaningful damage on a day by day basis.

Scales work is not limited to the Ukraine conflict, though. Wang cites several use cases among many in the application of modern AI and data labeling technology. In medicine, for example, Scale is working to streamline access to healthcare by facilitating the automatic detection of illness. In the wake of global doctor shortages, medical facilities simply cant train people fast enough, he explains, but AI can lighten the load.

Enamored by data, Wang dropped out of MIT at age 19 to found Scale. Today, at just 25, he is the worlds youngest self-made billionaire. With 700 employees and growing, Scale has managed to get big without going bad, becoming, as Wang describes it, something like a nuclear reactor for energy and excitement.

Wang believes that ambition shapes reality, describing a phenomenon by which people tend to accomplish the magnitude of their ambition.

This is one of the reasons why, as he was growing Scale, Wang always hired people who give a shit: Its impossible to build something and nearly impossible to make magic if nobody around you cares about what theyre doing, he says. Which is why, he adds, its crucial to create a culture where people can dream big and have a sense of optimism around what theyre able to accomplish: Theres nothing more seductive than the invitation to think bigger.

Retaining the sort of energy and drive for which startups are fondly known is also key. [That environment] is one of the most powerful forces in the world, frankly. And that only happens if you get the preconditions just right, where people feel safe, people feel excited, people are excited about what theyre doing.

When you get the conditions for innovation right, Wang says, you know it when you see it. You just need to keep trying to find it. And once you find it, never let it go.

Listen to the episode for the full interview.

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Can AI solve the world's biggest problems? - Fast Company