Digital rights nonprofit founded in July 1990 by John Gilmore, John Perry Barlow, and Mitch Kapor. Approximately 100 staff (lawyers, activists, technologists). Budget approximately $24 million (2021 figure; more recent not publicly confirmed). Led by Cindy Cohn (Executive Director; successor search underway as of late 2025). Active on AI surveillance, AI-generated content, and AI copyright issues. Investigated Axon's AI-written police reports and Flock Safety's mass surveillance ALPR network. Published analyses of OpenAI's Pentagon deal and the Anthropic-DOD conflict, arguing privacy protections shouldn't depend on corporate discretion. Advocates against government use of AI for bulk surveillance. Primary intervention types: litigation, policy advocacy, technology development, public education.
AI Surveillance and Regime Durability ModelAnalysisAI Surveillance and Regime Durability ModelUsing historical regime collapse data (military regimes: 9 years, single-party: 30 years) and evidence from 80+ countries adopting surveillance technology, this model estimates AI-enabled authorita...Quality: 64/100Authoritarian Tools Diffusion ModelAnalysisAuthoritarian Tools Diffusion ModelThis model analyzes how AI surveillance technologies diffuse to authoritarian regimes through commercial sales, development assistance, joint ventures, reverse engineering, and illicit acquisition....Quality: 62/100Surveillance Chilling Effects ModelAnalysisSurveillance Chilling Effects ModelQuantifies how AI surveillance reduces freedom of expression through self-censorship mechanisms, estimating 50-70% reduction in dissent within months and 80-95% within 1-2 years in comprehensive su...Quality: 54/100
Organizations
Brennan Center for JusticeOrganizationBrennan Center for JusticeNonpartisan law and policy institute at NYU School of Law, founded in 1995. Revenue approximately $58 million (FY 2023-2024) with 180+ staff (attorneys, scholars, communications professionals). Led...Democracy ForwardOrganizationDemocracy ForwardLegal nonprofit founded in 2017 that uses the courts to challenge government actions that undermine democratic principles. Led by Skye L. Perryman (President and CEO). Launched an appellate litigat...Revolving Door ProjectOrganizationRevolving Door ProjectGovernment accountability project (of the Goodnation Foundation) led by Executive Director Jeff Hauser. Funded by Democracy Fund. Maintains the "Tracking Uses of AI in the Trump Administration" tra...Access NowOrganizationAccess NowInternational digital rights organization founded in 2009. Annual revenue approximately $15M (as of 2025). Led by Executive Director Alejandro Mayoral Banos (succeeded Brett Solomon who served 2009...Center for Democracy and TechnologyOrganizationCenter for Democracy and TechnologyCDT is one of the oldest and most established digital rights organizations engaging on AI policy, founded in 1994. Its AI Governance Lab focuses on algorithmic accountability, automated decision-ma...AlgorithmWatchOrganizationAlgorithmWatchNonprofit research and advocacy organization focused on algorithmic accountability, founded in 2017. Also has a Zurich office. Co-founded and led by Executive Director Matthias Spielkamp. Conducts ...
Risks
Erosion of Human AgencyRiskErosion of Human AgencyComprehensive analysis of AI-driven agency erosion across domains: 42.3% of EU workers under algorithmic management (EWCS 2024), 70%+ of Americans consuming news via social media algorithms, and do...Quality: 91/100AI-Powered Investigation RisksRiskAI-Powered Investigation RisksAnalysis of AI-powered investigation as a dual-use capability. AI dramatically lowers the discoverability threshold for connecting public information, benefiting accountability (corruption detectio...Quality: 40/100AI-Enabled Authoritarian TakeoverRiskAI-Enabled Authoritarian TakeoverComprehensive analysis documenting how 72% of global population (5.7 billion) now lives under autocracy with AI surveillance deployed in 80+ countries, showing 15 consecutive years of declining int...Quality: 61/100AI Surveillance and US Democratic ErosionRiskAI Surveillance and US Democratic ErosionAnalysis of how data centralization, oversight dismantlement, and AI capability acquisition by the US government create near-term threats to democratic processes. Documents the Anthropic-Pentagon s...Quality: 55/100
Historical
Anthropic-Pentagon Standoff (2026)EventAnthropic-Pentagon Standoff (2026)Comprehensive analysis of the February 2026 confrontation between Anthropic and the US government. Triggered when Claude AI was used in the January 2026 Venezuela raid via Palantir, Anthropic refus...Quality: 70/100
Other
Meredith WhittakerPersonMeredith WhittakerCo-founder of the AI Now Institute and President of the Signal Foundation. Previously at Google for 13 years, where she founded Google's Open Research group and led internal organizing against Proj...Amba KakPersonAmba KakCo-Executive Director of the AI Now Institute. Named to TIME's 100 Most Influential People in AI (2024). Addressed the UN General Assembly on AI governance. Previously at Mozilla Foundation and the...