Degrees of Change

About the Editor and Lead Author

Juan M. Lavista Ferres is Microsoft’s Chief Data Scientist and Corporate Vice President. He serves as Lab Director of Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab and Director of the AI Economy Institute. He leads a team of data scientists and researchers who specialize in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and statistical modeling, contributing to Microsoft’s AI for Good initiatives. These projects cover areas such as sustainability, humanitarian action, accessibility, and health.

Juan cofounded the lab in 2018. Since its inception, he and his team have undertaken over 350 projects worldwide, ranging from enhancing the detection of pancreatic cancer to assisting organizations after natural disasters. Collaborating with prominent organizations such as the United Nations, the American Red Cross, The Nature Conservancy, Seattle Children’s Hospital, the Clooney Foundation for Justice, the Vatican, Harvard University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University, they have consistently been at the forefront of using AI for the betterment of humanity.

In just seven years, the AI for Good Lab has gained global renown, with branches in Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, New York, Redmond, Strasbourg, and Uruguay. The Lab’s contributions have been published in top academic journals and conference literature, including Nature Communications, Lancet, Blood, and JAMA Ophthalmology. The Lab’s work has also been featured in prominent media outlets such as The New York Times ...