As artificial intelligence becomes a powerful presence in daily life, a group of influential philanthropic organizations aims to balance the forces shaping its impact. Humanity AI, a new coalition formed by ten leading U.S. foundations, plans to steer the course of AI’s societal role by committing at least $500 million over the next five years. Their intention is to ensure AI’s development addresses collective human needs across job security, creative rights, security, democracy, and education, rather than being shaped solely by major tech companies. Announced with a sense of urgency and collaboration, this move seeks to widen the conversation and action around who benefits from AI’s rapid expansion.
Efforts to broaden AI’s social responsibility surfaced through collaborative philanthropy in the past, such as joint funding initiatives to support ethical AI. Recent coalitions and philanthropic ventures, including NextLadder Ventures with its $1 billion commitment and other substantial public-interest AI grants, have started to address gaps in representation and priority-setting. Unlike previous efforts, Humanity AI brings a unique emphasis on equity, pooling resources from diverse philanthropic backgrounds to address AI’s risks and opportunities on a larger scale, officially under formal management by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and with an emphasis on rapid deployment.
Who Is Behind the Humanity AI Initiative?
The Humanity AI initiative will be co-chaired by the Omidyar Network and the MacArthur Foundation. Both organizations have a long record of supporting policy change and innovation through philanthropy, with Omidyar’s $2 billion in grants over two decades and MacArthur’s more than $8.27 billion distributed to 10,000 recipients. The coalition’s founding members feature the Mellon Foundation, Kapor Foundation, Lumina Foundation, Doris Duke Foundation, Ford Foundation, Siegel Family Endowment, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
What Are the Priority Areas for Funding?
Participating foundations will focus their grants in five main areas: preparing workers for an AI-driven economy, defending artists against content theft, addressing new security risks in climate and energy, advancing democracy, and integrating AI into education thoughtfully. A pooled grant fund, managed by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is set to start distributing resources in the coming year.
How Do Organizers View the Role of AI in Society?
Coalition leaders stress that the future of AI must be determined by a diverse range of stakeholders. Michele Jawando, president of the Omidyar Network, said,
“A.I. is not destiny, it is design.”
She further emphasized,
“The decisions we make now about who builds A.I., who benefits from it, and whose values shape it will determine whether it amplifies human needs or erodes them.”
John Palfrey, president of the MacArthur Foundation, highlighted the need for more inclusive decision-making in developing and deploying AI systems.
Directing substantial funding through a coalition allows for a larger impact than individual initiatives can achieve. Foundations behind Humanity AI intend for their approach to serve as a counterbalance to primary influence from major Silicon Valley companies. By focusing on economic, creative, security, and educational aspects, the coalition aims to equip technologists, researchers, and advocates to address emerging challenges and opportunities with a collective vision. This strategy has seen related attempts—like previous $200 million and $1 billion initiatives—but Humanity AI stands out for integrating a broader range of philanthropic actors with an overarching social mission.
Philanthropic collaboration on AI is likely to intensify as technology continues to evolve and touch more areas of public life. For those interested in technology’s societal implications, observing how pooled philanthropic funding shifts the balance away from technology firm dominance will be critical. The initiative’s structure offers a pathway for other donors to join in shaping AI’s future direction, ensuring broader engagement and oversight. For stakeholders such as workers, artists, educators, and advocates, this could mean new resources and alliances for navigating the changing landscape of artificial intelligence, underscoring a belief that human-centered design and policy still play a vital role in shaping technology’s trajectory.
