Funders Announce $25M Investment To Center Equity In AI
Kapor Foundation, Omidyar Network, and San Francisco Foundation have announced an investment of $25 million to help fund organizations focused on centering equity in the advancement of AI.
The joint commitment will help fund organizations across different sectors at the inaugural Joint California Summit on Generative AI.
The fund is in response to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-12-23, signed in September 2023, which will study the development, use, and risks of AI technologies.
The $25M Investment
The initial $25 million investment aims to drive immediate action and build momentum within the philanthropic sector during this window of opportunity for impact.
“With the proliferation of AI technologies impacting all aspects of society, we must ensure we have a clear community informed stance on the responsible, equitable, and ethical development and use of these technologies and that they serve to uplift all communities, especially those historically marginalized,” said Allison Scott PhD, CEO of Kapor Foundation in a press release.
“It is our collective responsibility to create an infrastructure that not only fosters innovation but also safeguards the well-being and rights of all individuals.”
California Takes The Lead In Setting AI Standards
The three foundations believe that California is uniquely positioned to lead the nation in setting the standards for responsible, equitable, and ethical AI while ensuring that all Californians can benefit from its promise and potential.
This will require investments across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to cover various areas, including world-class education, to ensure all students are prepared to be critical consumers and producers of emerging technologies.
It will also aim to support new approaches to talent development and worker power, among other things, to prepare the underrepresented workforce for jobs in the emerging technology sector.
“We have a momentous opportunity before us to shape an AI future that prioritizes positive human and societal impacts,” said Anamitra Deb, Managing Director, Responsible Tech at Omidyar Network.
“By bringing together California’s equity-centered stakeholders, from technologists and advocates, to activists, workers, philanthropies, and public sector leaders, we can transform today’s technological ecosystem to ensure innovation in service of society for years to come.”
