4 Startups Using AI to Solve 4 Totally Different Problems

AI is one of the biggest buzzwords in tech (and in general) these days, and there’s no question AI gets a lot of hype, both for better and for worse. But the latest round of machine learning—which trains algorithms on heaps of data so they can analyze images, find patterns in huge data sets, or simply answer our queries (“Alexa, what’s the weather today?”)—is finding an increasing number of useful applications too. Beneath the hype, machine learning’s problem-solving potential is likely just getting started.

At the SU Ventures Demo Faire at Singularity University’s Global Summit, representatives from four startups presented their company’s missions and business models. Monique Giggy, vice president of SU Ventures, moderated the session and introduced the speakers. She explained that SU Ventures seeks out and helps future-focused entrepreneurs translate big ideas into tangible, worldwide impact using exponential technologies.

Startups Bioverse Labs, SkyHive, ClinicAI, and Janus Choice each operate in distinct sectors, from biodiversity to employee training. Their common thread is the integration of AI into their businesses.

It’s estimated there are one trillion species on earth, according to Bioverse Labs’ Zachary Ladin. But, he pointed out, we have only discovered one percent of the species in existence. Through various partnerships and initiatives, Bioverse Labs has several goals: to prevent extinction caused by climate change and urbanization, to use genomics to detect and identify species, and to use artificial intelligence to digitize, classify, and discover biological and genetic diversity.

Ladin holds a PhD in ecology and is a co-founder of Bioverse Labs, a startup that uses the latest technology stack to solve some of the biggest ecology challenges we face today.

For example, the company is investigating detection and mitigation of the fall armyworm, an invasive pest native to South America. The fall armyworm is now invasive in Africa, where it’s a major threat to crops like maize and sorghum. This poses problems for food security and trade.  Another collaborative project between Bioverse and the US Forest Service, according to Ladin, involves the spotted lanternfly, which threatens grape, tree-fruit, and hardwood trees in the northeastern US.

Often, the ecosystems that harbor the most lifeforms on earth are the most imperiled, Ladin said. Bioverse Labs brings technology to controlling invasive species, preserving the one percent of species that is known to us, and learning more about the living world around us.

Sean Hinton, founder and CEO of SkyHive, describes the company as “the traffic control system for the workforce.” Based on a job description provided by employers, SkyHive generates a comprehensive set of required skills. Its machine learning engine then identifies top candidate matches and provides shortlists to employers. Calling itself the world’s first skills-based job matching platform, it boasts a 50 to70 percent reduction in time-to-hire, a 70 percent reduction in cost-to-hire, and a 50 percent reduction in time-to-train.

SkyHive accepted the ethical responsibility to ensure fair hiring practices and equal representation of minorities. The startup decided to become a B Corporation in order to understand its impacts, both positive and negative, on the communities it serves. A current project with the Canadian Armed Forces applies machine learning to the recruitment of women in the armed forces.

SkyHive’s services aren’t limited to finding candidates.