Artificial intelligence is being shaped by design decisions, not inevitability, according to a new initiative launched by ten philanthropic foundations. The coalition, named Humanity AI, announced on Tuesday that it will commit $500 million over the next five years to prioritize human needs as AI becomes more integrated into daily life.
“The future belongs to those who actively create it, and that shan’t be a few leaders in Silicon Valley. It’s all of us,” said Mozilla Foundation Executive Director Nabiha Syed in an emailed statement. “The systems shaping our lives must be powered by people, open by design, and fueled by imagination.”
AI is currently used in various fields such as software engineering and medicine. It also has applications for students with disabilities and humanitarian groups translating documents for refugees. Farmers are using AI to detect pests. However, concerns remain about its broader impact. Some worry about children relying on AI chatbots for companionship, the spread of misinformation through deepfake videos, the environmental cost of energy-intensive systems, and job losses among young or entry-level workers.
Omidyar Network President Michele L. Jawando said that technology companies are not investing heavily in uses that directly benefit people. Instead, their focus is on products with uncertain impacts on human well-being. Jawando cited OpenAI’s recent introduction of ChatGPT’s new marketplace features as an example of this trend.
Jawando noted that while private companies aim for profit and governments encourage innovation, philanthropic leaders saw a need for increased funding and collaboration to ensure civil society’s voice is heard. She explained that Humanity AI’s mission is to define what “flourishing” means in an AI-driven world.
“Most of what we’re offered right now is efficiency. But that’s not flourishing,” she said. “I don’t want my life to be efficient. I want my life to flourish. I want it to feel rich and robust and healthy and safe.”
Humanity AI is led by the MacArthur Foundation and Omidyar Network. The coalition requires members to make grants in at least one of five priority areas: advancing democracy, strengthening education, protecting artists, enhancing work, or defending personal security.
MacArthur Foundation President John Palfrey emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for early career professionals regardless of their educational background. He said that if decisions about AI began with a focus on securing a better future for individuals and families, it would represent a shift from prioritizing technological advancement for its own sake.
“That’s a very different orientation than ‘How do we invest to make the LLMs be the biggest and fastest,’ right?” Palfrey told The Associated Press. “It’s an orientation that centers opportunity and young people.”
The coalition includes organizations such as the Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, Mozilla Foundation, Lumina Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Kapor Foundation, and Siegel Family Endowment. These groups have a history of supporting humanities, tackling inequality, promoting an open internet, funding education, supporting racial equity, and examining technology’s societal impacts.
Other philanthropic efforts are also underway. Earlier this year, the Gates Foundation and Ballmer Group pledged $1 billion over 15 years for AI tools aimed at supporting public defenders, parole officers, social workers, and others assisting Americans in vulnerable situations. Additional initiatives focus on improving AI literacy and expanding access for entrepreneurs in low-income countries.
Humanity AI began coordinating grants this fall and plans to pool new funds next year through a collaborative fund managed by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. Grantees include the National Black Tech Ecosystem Association, AI Now (a research institute studying AI’s social implications), and a Howard Law School initiative focused on developing AI solutions for civil rights. The MacArthur Foundation is also increasing its grant to the Pulitzer Center as part of this effort.
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An earlier version of this article stated that AI Now was affiliated with New York University. AI Now has been an independent organization since 2022.
