18 funding partners pledge €10million to redirect AI
In just 18 months, the European AI & Society Fund has brought in €10 million from 18 funding partners committed to backing the public interest field to redirect AI for people, planet and society.
As AI is being adopted across all areas of our lives at unprecedented speed – reshaping our economies, politics and societies – more and more philanthropists are becoming aware of the necessity to shape AI.
Joining forces for greater impact
The European AI & Society Fund has attracted partners from both Europe and beyond. They are united by their belief that Europe is where there is the greatest opportunity to back policies that safeguard people’s rights and interests, and chart a new direction for AI.
Catherine Miller, Co-Director of the European AI & Society Fund said: “We are proud to have raised €10 million to support the public interest field in Europe to redirect AI. In just five years, the European AI & Society Fund has already managed to support civil society organisations across 27 countries to put people’s needs at the heart of AI development, including safeguards to protect people’s privacy and children’s wellbeing. It’s crucial that philanthropy faces the AI challenge together.“
Our grantees have stood up for hard-won legal protections that safeguard people from discrimination, social scoring, and biometric surveillance. They’ve exposed how Big Tech exerts its vice-like grip on AI. They’ve secured new safety measures for children faced with AI chatbots that encourage them to harm themselves. They’ve put a brake on mushrooming data centres that suck up resources and send communities’ electricity bills sky high. And they’ve fought for – and won – the right to see what’s behind the AI systems that control our public services. Find out more in our annual report 2025.
Keeping funders up to speed with AI developments
“As well as directly supporting public interest organisations, we support the philanthropic community to make sense of AI development, adoption and legislation which is moving so fast.” said Peggye Totozafy, Senior Partnerships Manager at European AI & Society Fund.
“Many of our partners are exploring how AI intersects with their wider mission on social justice, democracy and human rights. The Fund helps them navigate these questions, acting as a strategic intermediary between philanthropy and civil society – learning from our grantees, and from each other.”
18 funding partners have combined resources to award grants, build the field, fundraise and forge collective strategies through the Fund.
Eli Sugarman, Director of Special Projects, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation said: “Participating in the European AI & Society Fund has helped us better understand global trends on AI and develop more sophisticated ways to situate Europe within our emerging AI grantmaking.”
Fanny Hidvégi, Policy Director, AI Collaborative, an Initiative of The Omidyar Group said: “We are proud to support the European AI & Society Fund’s crucial role and purpose in the European funding and civil society landscape. We believe that decisions about AI’s role in society must be made by people, with people, and for people. This collective philanthropic effort is key to ensuring that AI is built in a way that is responsible and equitable for everyone.”
About the European AI & Society Fund
The European AI & Society Fund mobilises a community of funders to fight for Artificial Intelligence that works for everyone, not just the powerful few.
We support diverse public interest groups across Europe to shape the AI debate, set the policy agenda, and secure accountability.
Since 2020, we’ve partnered with 20 funders to award €13.6 million to public interest organisations across 27 countries to shape AI to better serve people, society and planet.