# Amir Banifatemi

Amir Banifatemi is a technology and innovation strategist, entrepreneur, and investor known for his work in artificial intelligence, deep technology, and impact-driven initiatives, and spearheading the AI for good movement.

## Early life and education

Amir Banifatemi studied Physics at the University of Paris-Sud and later earned a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Université of Technology of Compiègne in 1986. He pursued doctoral research at Université Paris Descartes in information systems and automated decision making, completing his PhD in 1990. Additionally, he earned an MBA from HEC Paris, one of Europe's leading business schools, in 1994.

## Career

Amir Banifatemi began his career as a design engineer with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Airbus, where he developed medical devices for space missions. He then held various leadership positions in technology and innovation, including roles at the Greater Paris University Hospitals (AP-HP) and Electromed International. At XPRIZE, Banifatemi served as the Chief Innovation and Growth Officer, where he was responsible for identifying breakthrough ideas and designing incentive competitions. His work focused on managing challenges across AI, robotics, and health, aimed at addressing global problems and advancing technological solutions. He helped launch several high-profile prize competitions, including the AI for Good XPRIZE, the COVID Response Challenge, and the Avatar XPRIZE. Prior to joining XPRIZE, Banifatemi founded several startups and worked in various capacities, focusing on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced data analytics. His investment journey led him to form venture funds like K5 Ventures, emphasizing deep technology and societal impact, prioritizing companies that address human and societal challenges. Banifatemi was also involved in creating the gathering that led to the Presidio Recommendation on Generative AI, followed by the Presidio Safe AI framework, which eventually led to the formation of the AI Governance Alliance. He continues to play a significant role in discussions on AI ethics and responsible innovation, co-chairing responsible AI efforts at the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) and contributing to AI policy development with the OECD.

## Achievements and Contributions

* XPRIZE Competitions: Banifatemi was instrumental in developing and managing several XPRIZE challenges, including:
** AI for Good XPRIZE: A global competition aimed at leveraging AI to solve some of the world's most pressing problems.
** COVID Response Challenge: Aimed at accelerating data-driven solutions for COVID-19 pandemic response.
** COVID Testing XPRIZE: Focused on developing low-cost, rapid COVID-19 testing solutions.
** Avatar XPRIZE: A $10 million competition aimed at creating an avatar system that can transport a human's senses, actions, and presence to a remote location in real time.
* AI Commons: Co-founded AI Commons, an initiative aimed at democratizing AI resources and knowledge to benefit society globally. AI Commons connects problem owners with AI researchers and developers to collaborate on sustainable solutions tailored to local contexts.
* AI Governance: Contributed to AI governance frameworks and ethical guidelines, including the AI Governance Alliance and the Presidio Recommendations, advocating for responsible AI development and deployment.
* Scaling Responsible AI Solutions: Co-led the "Scaling Responsible AI (RAI) Solutions" report in 2023, with an updated report expected in October 2024.
* Global Coalition for Responsible AI: Involved in building a global coalition to establish Responsible AI platforms to ensure trust in Generative AI content.
* AI for Good Movement: Supported the AI for Good movement in 2015 and launched the AI XPRIZE, a global competition aimed at accelerating the adoption of AI technologies to solve societal challenges. He also designed and produced the AI for Good Global Summit, hosted jointly with the United Nations' ITU.

## Awards and recognitions

Amir Banifatemi has received numerous awards and recognitions for his contributions to technology and innovation. He is known within the technology community for his focus on leveraging technology for societal good.

## Personal life

Details about Amir Banifatemi's personal life are not widely publicized, as he prefers to keep a low profile outside of his professional endeavors.

## Publications

* Banifatemi, Amir. "Engineering the new boundaries of AI". IEEE Xplore. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
* Banifatemi, Amir. "Validating Beneficial AI". Communications of the ACM. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
* Banifatemi, Amir. "Can we use AI for Global Good?". ACM Digital Library. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
* Banifatemi, Amir. "Preparing for an AI-driven Society". ITU Telecom TV. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
* "Amir Banifatemi's Articles on ResearchGate". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2024-08-10.