XPRIZE Foundation

Using a modified Delphi process, we engaged 28 experts in clinical trials, geriatrics, and research translation to determine if there were consensus around what clinical endpoints should be used for trials evaluating the efficacy of interventions to prevent or treat multiple age-related conditions. Four focus groups developed themes. Statements related to those themes were circulated back to participants in a survey. There was consensus (more than 66% agreed or disagreed) that outcome measures should include multiple health dimensions including-age-related disease, function and patient reported outcomes that reflect participants goals; and be tailored to population characteristics. Experts felt that blood-based biomarkers would be unlikely to be accepted as primary endpoints of efficacy trials. Plausible components mentioned as part of a composite endpoint included mortality, mobility function and the onset of multiple age-related diseases. Our findings provide guidance on acceptable approaches to endpoint selection guiding the design of future geroscience trials.

Water scarcity is an escalating global crisis that affects nearly one-fourth of the population, with predictions indicating that by 2030, demand will surpass supply by 40%. This looming crisis is predominantly impacting densely populated coastal cities and is exacerbated by the limited 0.5% of Earth's freshwater that is usable, strained further by rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change. XPRIZE Water Scarcity, a $119 million, 5-year competition, aims to address these challenges by fostering innovative advancements in seawater desalination technology. As 70% of the planet is covered by oceans, which contain over 96% of global water resources, desalination offers a potential solution for transforming abundant seawater into a sustainable freshwater supply. However, existing desalination methods, while mature, have not seen significant innovation since the early 2000s and are often prohibitively expensive and environmentally unsustainable for widespread adoption. The competition is structured into three tracks to tackle these challenges: the development of a new desalination system capable of sustainably producing one million liters of potable water per day, the creation of novel membrane materials to enhance the efficiency and lifespan of reverse osmosis processes, and an ideas competition to reshape the global perception of water's value. Through these efforts, XPRIZE Water Scarcity seeks to catalyze a paradigm shift in desalination technology by making it more robust, affordable, and environmentally sustainable. This initiative not only aims to redefine the landscape of desalination on a global scale but also to ensure broader socio-economic equity and enhance global water management practices, creating a future where clean water is equitably and sustainably abundant.

Imagine how your life would change if you could instantly transport yourself anywhere in the world. Transcending the barriers of distance and travel time would enable many activities that are impossible today, including being present at remote events, connecting with family, friends, or colleagues, and efficiently distributing skills and hands-on expertise to locations wherever they are needed, e.g., to provide critical care and to deploy immediate emergency response in natural disaster scenarios. While the <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Star Trek</i> transporter technology is yet to be invented, the closest thing to beaming is telepresence in an avatar robot.

Abstract Independent testing and verification of emerging technologies are vital parts of the technology-commercialization process. With the rapid development of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies, where existing standards and certifications do not exist, independent verification approaches and guidelines can provide a means to obtain credible information for an emerging market. The ISO 14034:2016—Environmental Management: Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) standard can serve as a foundational platform to ensure the consistency, quality and credibility of data on CCU technology performance, enabling direct comparisons between technologies and reducing risk to decision-makers regarding potential investment, future deployment and ultimate impacts of CCU innovations. Applying the fundamental principles of ISO 14034 to the evaluation of nine finalist CCU technologies competing in the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE ensured that data used to evaluate competitors was of high quality, consistent across technologies and met the information needs of the XPRIZE and competition judges responsible for selecting winners. The approaches outlined here, including verification parameters and verification tasks for both XPRIZE-specific technology evaluations and full CCU technology evaluation by an accredited entity in conformance with the ISO 14034 standard, provide insight into the potential benefits—methodological consistency, high-quality data, independent oversight, methodological flexibility and broad applicability—and limitations—technology readiness and applicability, verification and instrumentation costs and lack of specificity—of the approach in an application for the evaluation of emerging technologies. Further application of the ISO 14034 standard and principles, developed through a consensus approach that incorporates other developing guidelines, can drive consistency and credibility for technology-performance evaluations across the CCU sector, ultimately leading to reduced risk and improved market access for new innovations.

The IBM Watson AI XPRIZE is a four‐year competition where teams work to improve the world with artificial intelligence. The competition began in 2017 with 148 problem domains in sustainability, artificial general intelligence, education, and a variety of other grand challenge areas. Fifty‐nine teams advanced to the second year of the competition and 10 teams earned special recognition as “milestone nominees.” The properties of the advancing problem domains highlight opportunities and challenges for the “AI for Good” movement. We detail the judging process and highlight preliminary results from cutting the field of competing teams.

Recognizing the increasingly critical role that AI plays in all aspects of modern society, the XPRIZE Foundation launched the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE. Interdisciplinary teams will advance current AI technologies as they compete for the grand prize.