A coalition of ten philanthropic foundations has committed $500 million over the next five years to a new initiative called Humanity AI. The project aims to counterbalance the influence of large technology companies in the development of artificial intelligence and redirect its focus toward public interest and human values. The announcement signals a strategic intervention from civil society to ensure that the rapid integration of AI into daily life is guided by ethical considerations and serves a broad societal good rather than narrow commercial interests.
The substantial financial pledge is designed to cultivate an ecosystem of AI innovation rooted in transparency, accountability, and a deep understanding of its societal impact. Organizers say the future of AI is a matter of design, not destiny, and should not be left to a handful of powerful corporations. By funding a wide range of projects, research, and policy efforts, Humanity AI seeks to empower a more diverse set of creators and thinkers to shape the technology’s trajectory. The initiative will begin coordinating grants in the fall and will pool funds into a collaborative managed by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors next year.
A New Alliance for Ethical AI
The Humanity AI initiative brings together a formidable roster of philanthropic organizations known for their work in the arts, education, democracy, and social justice. The coalition includes the Doris Duke Foundation, Ford Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Mozilla Foundation, Omidyar Network, Lumina Foundation, Kapor Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Siegel Family Endowment. This diverse group reflects a growing unease across different sectors about the concentration of power in the AI industry and the potential for the technology to exacerbate existing inequalities.
The collaboration is a significant move to ensure that the development of artificial intelligence is not solely driven by a profit-focused agenda. Mozilla Foundation Executive Director Nabiha Syed stated that the systems shaping our lives must be powered by people and open by design. The initiative is structured to support technologists, researchers, and advocates who prioritize people and the planet in their work, creating a powerful counter-narrative to the prevailing tech-utopianism of Silicon Valley.
Strategic Goals and Core Focus Areas
Humanity AI has outlined an ambitious and far-reaching set of goals aimed at fundamentally reshaping the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. The initiative will focus on five key areas: protecting democracy and fundamental rights, fostering public interest innovation, empowering workers in an AI-transformed economy, enhancing transparency and accountability in AI models and companies, and supporting the development of international norms for AI governance. This multi-pronged approach tackles some of the most pressing challenges posed by the rapid advancement of AI, from the spread of misinformation to the displacement of workers.
Protecting Democratic Values
A primary concern for the Humanity AI coalition is the potential for artificial intelligence to undermine democratic institutions. The initiative will fund projects aimed at combating AI-generated deepfake videos and other forms of disinformation that threaten to erode public trust. By supporting research and advocacy in this area, the foundations hope to create a more resilient information ecosystem where technology serves to inform rather than mislead citizens.
Empowering Workers and Communities
The economic impact of AI is another central focus of the Humanity AI initiative. The coalition plans to invest in programs that support workforce development for young people and ensure that the benefits of AI are shared more equitably across society. The MacArthur Foundation, for example, will contribute through its “AI Opportunity” initiative, which focuses on the intersection of AI and the economy. The goal is to create a future where AI augments human capabilities rather than rendering them obsolete, empowering workers and communities to thrive in an increasingly automated world.
Addressing the Harms and Risks of AI
While acknowledging the potential benefits of AI in fields like medicine and education, the Humanity AI initiative is clear-eyed about the technology’s potential for harm. The coalition has highlighted several areas of concern, including the negative impact of AI chatbots on children’s social development, the environmental cost of energy-intensive AI systems, and the potential for AI to perpetuate and amplify existing biases. Organizers argue that tech giants are not investing enough in mitigating these risks, focusing instead on products that may or may not help humans thrive.
The initiative seeks to fill this gap by funding research into the societal impacts of AI and supporting the development of more ethical and responsible AI systems. Early recipients of funding include the AI Now Institute at New York University, which examines the social consequences of artificial intelligence, and the National Black Tech Ecosystem Association, which works to foster more diverse leadership in the tech sector. By investing in these and other like-minded organizations, Humanity AI hopes to create a more robust and critical conversation about the future of AI.
A Growing Movement for Human-Centered AI
The Humanity AI initiative is not the first philanthropic effort to address the challenges of artificial intelligence, but it is one of the largest and most ambitious to date. Earlier this year, the Gates Foundation and Ballmer Group announced a $1 billion commitment over 15 years to create AI tools for public defenders, social workers, and others who help vulnerable populations. Other initiatives are focused on improving AI literacy and expanding access to the technology for entrepreneurs in low-income countries.
The emergence of these coalitions signals a growing recognition that the development of AI is too important to be left to the private sector alone. MacArthur Foundation President John Palfrey has stated that the stakes are too high to defer decisions to a handful of companies and their leaders. The Humanity AI initiative represents a powerful declaration that the future of artificial intelligence can and must be shaped by a broader set of voices and values, with a collective commitment to the public good.
The Path Forward
The $500 million investment from Humanity AI is a significant step toward creating a more human-centered future for artificial intelligence. By funding a diverse portfolio of projects, research, and advocacy, the initiative aims to build a powerful ecosystem of organizations working to ensure that AI is developed and deployed in a way that is safe, fair, and beneficial to all. The collaborative fund managed by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors will provide a flexible and responsive mechanism for directing resources to the most promising and impactful projects.
The success of the initiative will ultimately depend on its ability to foster genuine collaboration between technologists, researchers, policymakers, and the public. By creating a more inclusive and participatory conversation about the future of AI, Humanity AI hopes to inspire a new generation of innovators who are committed to using technology to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The initiative is a hopeful sign that a more democratic and equitable future for AI is not only possible, but within our grasp.