About

Theme: ETHICAL AI-SOLUTIONS FOR SOCIAL GOOD

1. Background & Rationale

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how we govern, connect, and create solutions for today’s challenges. But without a strong ethical compass, AI can reinforce inequality, deepen exclusion, and threaten privacy and dignity, especially for vulnerable and underserved communities.

The Just AI Awards, co-created by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) and the Emerging Technologies Wing of the Government of Telangana, under the framework of the World Summit Award (WSA), is a platform to celebrate, support, and scale AI innovations that promote justice, inclusion, and public interest.

Launched in 2024 with a national focus, the initiative saw immense success in surfacing grassroots AI solutions that empower people rather than automate over them. In 2025, the Awards go regional, welcoming nominations from across the Asia-Pacific to build a collaborative, ethical AI movement.

2. Theme

Ethical AI Solutions for Social Good: We seek AI tools, platforms, or frameworks that align with the values of equity, justice, and sustainability. Recognising innovations that uphold ethical principles, demonstrate social impact, and apply AI to address urgent public issues across various sectors.

3. Award Category

Ethical AI solutions for Social Good are systems, platforms, tools, or frameworks that embed principles of equity, inclusion, transparency, accountability, human rights, and sustainability into every stage of design, development, and deployment.

4. Why It Matters: AI is transforming the world, but without ethical design, it risks increasing bias, exclusion, and injustice. The Just AI Awards showcase innovations that incorporate ethics and human rights at their core, are inclusive by design, serve public needs and local contexts, and promote accountability and transparency.

5. Who Can Apply

Open to startups, researchers, CSOs, youth leaders, government institutions, and technologists across the Asia-Pacific region who are developing ethical and impactful AI solutions.