Alibaba DAMO Academy Joins Forces with ITU to Advance AI in Health, Climate, and Science
Alibaba DAMO Academy, the research arm of Alibaba Group, has partnered with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to address key challenges in healthcare, climate, and science through artificial intelligence. The collaboration involves initiatives titled AI for Health, AI for Climate, and AI for Science, featuring a mix of online lectures and in-person events. These activities aim to promote knowledge exchange and expert collaboration between the two organisations.
Beyond these initiatives, both parties will explore cooperation in robotics, embodied intelligence, and AI-driven video technologies. Their focus is on advancing global technology development, deploying practical solutions, and setting industry standards.
Building AI Skills for Global Development
Alibaba DAMO Academy is also a founding member of the United Nations-led AI Skills Coalition. This platform focuses on building AI capabilities in both developed and developing countries. Through this coalition, DAMO Academy supports governments, businesses, and organisations in less developed regions to apply AI effectively for sustainable development and governance.
Healthcare AI Applications in Singapore and Saudi Arabia
Within the AI for Health initiative, DAMO Academy collaborates with NHG Health in Singapore to enhance medical AI research and clinical use at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, one of Singapore’s largest multidisciplinary hospitals. The partnership targets early screening of pancreatic cancer, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, breast cancer, and kidney masses.
This effort combines DAMO Academy’s AI technology with NHG Health’s clinical expertise to develop and validate AI-powered early detection tools. The goal is to expand access to precision medicine and enable earlier diagnosis and treatment, ultimately supporting more timely healthcare interventions.
In Saudi Arabia, DAMO Academy is working with Abdul Latif Jameel Health on AI-assisted diagnosis across a range of conditions. Focus areas include pancreatic, gastric, and oesophageal cancers, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, fatty liver disease, acute aortic syndromes, and pulmonary embolism.
“This partnership leverages combined expertise in medical AI and scientific research to enhance early screening for critical conditions. Joint development and validation of AI detection tools aim to broaden access, support precision medicine, and enable timely treatments,” the collaboration stated.
By merging DAMO Academy’s AI solutions with Abdul Latif Jameel Health’s global resources, the partnership seeks to extend advanced diagnostic capabilities to wider populations.
Noteworthy AI Innovations and Recognition
DAMO Academy’s AI systems have been recognised in the United Nations AI for Good: Innovate for Impact Interim Report 2025. Highlighted projects include:
- Baguan AI Weather Forecasting: Produces specialised weather indicators to support power generation, agricultural meteorology, low-altitude forecasting, and renewable energy planning at the regional level.
- PANDA (Pancreatic Cancer Detection with AI): Utilizes deep learning to detect and classify pancreatic lesions accurately from non-contrast CT scans.
- DAMO GRAPE (Gastric Cancer Risk Assessment Procedure with AI): Analyses 3D CT scans to detect and segment gastric cancers with high sensitivity and specificity.
These tools demonstrate DAMO Academy’s commitment to applying AI in practical ways that benefit health, environmental monitoring, and scientific research. Their contributions to international initiatives aim to facilitate AI deployment that addresses critical challenges across communities worldwide.
For professionals interested in expanding their AI knowledge for healthcare and scientific applications, exploring relevant AI courses can provide valuable skills. Resources such as Complete AI Training’s latest AI courses offer targeted learning paths.
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