Today, Google launched the Digital Futures Project, a visionary initiative designed to harness diverse perspectives and expertise to navigate the intricate landscape of artificial intelligence (AI).Â
The central focus of this project is to facilitate a comprehensive exploration of the opportunities and challenges posed by AI, highlighting the responsible development of this transformative technology.
Under the umbrella of the Digital Futures Project, Google.org is establishing a monumental $20 million fund, dedicated to providing grants to esteemed think tanks and academic institutions across the world. This financial injection will bolster dialogue, foster inquiry, and stimulate innovative solutions regarding AI’s far-reaching implications.
AI, often touted as a potential catalyst for societal transformation, is simplifying our lives and confronting some of humanity’s most pressing issues, from disease prevention to urban planning and disaster prediction. However, the rise of AI is not without its dilemmas, including concerns related to fairness, bias, misinformation, security, and the future of employment.
Addressing these intricate questions necessitates extensive collaboration among industry leaders, academia, governmental bodies, and civil society. The newly established fund aims to empower independent thinkers, representing a wide spectrum of perspectives and expertise, to delve into critical topics such as:
Global Security: Exploring the impact of AI on global security and how it can be harnessed to fortify institutions and enterprises.
Labor and the Economy: Investigating the ramifications of AI on the workforce and the economy, with a focus on transitioning the workforce for AI-enabled jobs, and enhancing productivity and economic growth through government initiatives.
Responsible AI Innovation: Identifying effective governance structures and cross-industry collaborations that can promote responsible AI innovation.
The initial beneficiaries of the Digital Futures Fund include prominent institutions such as the Aspen Institute, Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Center for a New American Security, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Institute for Security and Technology, Leadership Conference Education Fund, MIT Work of the Future, R Street Institute, and SeedAI. The fund’s reach will extend to institutions across the globe, with further details on additional organizations to be unveiled in the near future.
Google’s commitment to responsible AI extends beyond this fund. In 2018, the company published a set of AI Principles that guide its work, along with establishing a dedicated governance team to ensure these principles are put into practice through rigorous reviews of new AI systems. Additionally, Google actively contributes to industry-leading research on critical AI topics, including fairness, equity, security, privacy, and safety.
While Google has been at the forefront of AI research, the company recognizes that the journey to harness AI’s full potential requires collective effort. The Digital Futures Project, along with its substantial fund, is set to support and empower numerous voices in academia and civil society, ultimately advancing independent research that ensures AI benefits all of humanity.
