Humanity AI Commits $500M to Build a People-Centered Future for AI | Mellon Foundation

Humanity AI Commits $500M to Build a People-Centered Future for AI | Mellon Foundation Menu A broad coalition of philanthropic leaders today announced a $500M five-year initiative dedicated to making sure people have a stake in the future of artificial intelligence (AI). As part of Humanity AI, ten of the nation’s most dynamic foundations supporting the arts, labor and work, democracy, education, and security will drive new investments toward establishing a people-driven future where AI delivers for humanity, strengthens communities, and enhances human creativity if used. 

 To address the important questions that AI is raising, Mellon Foundation together with the Doris Duke Foundation , Ford Foundation , Lumina Foundation , Kapor Foundation , John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation , Mozilla Foundation , Omidyar Network , David and Lucile Packard Foundation , and Siegal Family Endowment are mobilizing philanthropy to ensure that people have a powerful voice to amplify their needs and interests, which are too often left out of discussions around AI. 

 As AI becomes more ubiquitous across every area of society and in people’s daily lives, it is prompting people to ask fundamental questions about their role and value in an AI-driven future. Workers are wondering whether AI will be used to replace them or enhance their performance; artists are questioning how their contributions will be valued and whether their intellectual property will be protected in a world with AI-generated art, similar to the early stages of the internet; and people are contemplating the risks that AI may pose to national security, in addition to their digital and physical safety. 

 “Every day, people learn more about the ways AI is impacting their lives, and it can often feel like this technology is happening to us rather than with us and for us,” said John Palfrey, president of the MacArthur Foundation. “The stakes are too high to defer decisions to a handful of companies and leaders within them. Humanity AI seeks to shift that dynamic by resourcing technologists, researchers, and advocates who are united by a shared vision of ensuring AI is a force for good, putting people and the planet first.”

 Humanity AI funders have identified the following priorities and have committed to making grants in one or more these five issue areas:

 Democracy: New partnerships and frameworks for AI are needed to advance and protect our democracy, and safeguard our rights and freedoms. 
 Education: The implementation of AI in education must be shaped around the best interests of all students, ensuring it is used as a tool that expands access to knowledge and strengthens how people learn. 
 Humanities and Culture: AI is not a replacement for human creativity; it is an enhancer. This means protecting artists’ and creators’ work from theft and strengthening ownership protections for the people shaping our culture and society. 
 Labor and Economy: From small towns to big cities, people k

... (truncated, 7 KB total)