This is the first episode of our new show Intelligence for GOOD. Subscribe here on
Apple Podcasts and
Spotify.
In the inaugural episode of Intelligence for GOOD, I sit down with Andrew Sweet, Vice President of Innovation at
The Rockefeller Foundation, to explore how AI is already being used to solve real-world challenges in agriculture, education, healthcare, workforce development, and public services.
Andrew brings a unique perspective to the conversation. From serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo and a presidential appointee at USAID, to leading global COVID-19 initiatives at The Rockefeller Foundation, his career has focused on tackling complex challenges at scale.
The discussion also explores Rockefeller's remarkable connection to the origins of artificial intelligence. In 1955, the Foundation funded the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence, the gathering where the term "artificial intelligence" was first coined and the modern AI field was born.
Today, nearly seventy years later, Rockefeller is helping shape how AI can be deployed for public benefit around the world.
In This Episode
- The untold history of The Rockefeller Foundation's role in the birth of artificial intelligence
- How AI is helping millions of smallholder farmers improve crop yields and livelihoods
- Why developing countries often have a more optimistic view of AI than the United States
- The growing importance of AI sovereignty and locally owned AI infrastructure
- How AI can expand access to public benefits and government services
- Why AI literacy should become a core part of education
- The rise of solo entrepreneurs building businesses with AI tools
- How states like Maryland and West Virginia are preparing citizens for an AI-driven economy
- The role philanthropy can play in ensuring AI benefits everyone, not just a small group of technology companies
- Why Andrew believes AI can help reduce inequality rather than increase it
Key Takeaways
AI is already creating measurable social impact.
From Digital Green's Farmer.Chat platform reaching millions of farmers across multiple countries to new AI-powered health and education tools, practical applications are delivering results today.
The biggest opportunity may be where talent is scarce.
Rather than replacing workers, AI can fill critical gaps in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education where there simply are not enough professionals available to meet demand.
AI literacy is becoming essential.
Just as previous generations needed proficiency in Microsoft Office and internet tools, future workers will need a working understanding of AI systems and how to collaborate with them effectively.
Public services are ripe for transformation.
AI has the potential to make government services more accessible, responsive, and human-centered by reducing complexity and improving citizen experiences.
Optimism matters.
While risks deserve serious attention, Andrew argues that society needs more conversations about the opportunities AI creates, especially for entrepreneurship, workforce development, and global problem solving.
About Andrew Sweet
Andrew Sweet is Vice President of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation, where he leads AI partnerships and strategy initiatives.
Before joining Rockefeller, Andrew served as a presidential appointee at USAID, worked with Dalberg Advisors in Africa and the United States, and began his career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo, West Africa.
His work today focuses on helping governments, nonprofits, and communities leverage emerging technologies to improve lives and create economic opportunity.
----------------------------------------
Disruptors for GOOD is powered by
Causeartist, a nonprofit media company
dedicated
to bridging the gap between
capital and
culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.
Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.
By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.