Elevating International Geneva's Impact with AI
Two AI projects have been selected for funding through the 2026 Geneva AI Initiative, run by the EPFL AI Center with the SDSC.
Lausanne. October 21, 2026 - Two AI projects have been accepted for funding through the 2026 Geneva AI Initiative, led by the EPFL AI Center in collaboration with the Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC). Proposed by IMPACT Initiatives and the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), these projects aim to improve humanitarian research quality and streamline reporting processes through AI. Equipping NGOs and IOs with data science and AI capabilities will help amplify their humanitarian impact and support meaningful change.
The projects were selected from a wider cohort of 24 participants representing 23 organizations who took part in this year's Geneva AI Initiative. Run by EPFL AI Center in collaboration with the Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC), the program gives Geneva-based Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and International Organizations (IOs) access to leading data science, machine learning and AI expertise and resources from EPFL, SDSC, and partner institutions, so they can increase their effectiveness and impact.
Strengthening AI capabilities with a tailored program
The 2026 edition prioritized capacity building, enabling organizations to move from learning to action through practical training, professional support, and potential funding for a project.
To qualify, NGOs and IOs had to be based in Geneva and demonstrate commitment to AI initiatives. Participants took part in a three-phase immersive learning experience, encompassing a four-day course on AI fundamentals, a front-row seat at the AMLD Intelligence Summit, and hands-on support in developing concrete AI project proposals. Explore the full 2026 cohort on the NGO and IO programs webpage.
“The Geneva AI training provided a clear and grounded understanding of generative AI for humanitarian and public health contexts. Rather than focusing on tools alone, the course carefully unpacked how modern AI systems are built, where their limits lie, and how they can be responsibly applied to real operational problems. This program is an example of AI capacity-building that respects institutional responsibility while enabling innovation,”
commented a 2026 program participant.
Financial support for two impactful projects
From 19 submitted high-quality proposals, two projects were selected for funding after a diligent independent review.
- IMPACT Initiatives: AI-Powered Quality Assurance for Humanitarian Research. Develop an LLM-based assistant that helps reviewers check the methodological soundness and consistency of IMPACT's research outputs, so time-sensitive evidence reaches humanitarian decision-makers faster.
- Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF): CLARO, CSO Local AI for Reporting and Operations. Develop locally deployed, privacy-preserving AI that turns photographed attendance lists and receipts into structured reporting data, freeing civil society staff from manual transcription and improving data quality across GCERF's portfolio.
The SDSC team of data scientists and machine learning engineers will work with both teams over the coming 12 months to build concrete, deployable outcomes.
About the EPFL AI Center
The EPFL AI Center is a hub for artificial intelligence at one of the world's leading technology institutions. The Center's broad range of activities leverage the extensive expertise of EPFL's faculties and researchers across all schools and academic disciplines. Through seven strategic research initiatives - AI for Health, AI for Sustainability, AI for Society, AI for Science, AI for Education, AI Fundamentals, and AI for Robotics, the Center fosters multidisciplinary collaboration to address some of the most pressing scientific and societal challenges. More information: https://ai.epfl.ch/
About the Swiss Data Science Center
The Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC) is a national research infrastructure in data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), founded by EPFL and ETH Zurich. It provides end-to-end capabilities to turn data into impact across the full data lifecycle – from data infrastructure, management and preparation to machine learning and AI modeling to deployment – serving research, private and public sector in Switzerland. A multidisciplinary team across Lausanne, Zurich and in Villigen (at PSI), combines expertise to advance scientific discovery, build trusted data foundations, and scale data science and AI in strategic domains. The SDSC also contributes to initial and executive education programs at EPFL and ETH Zurich. More information: www.datascience.ch
For more information, please contact:
Melissa Anchisi
Head of Communication AI
EPFL Mediacom
melissa.anchisi@epfl.ch
Charlotte Pichon
Deputy Head of Communications
Swiss Data Science Center
communications@datascience.ch
