Postcode Loterij joins the European AI & Society Fund with €1million support

The European AI & Society Fund has been awarded €1 million from the Postcode Loterij, the Dutch lottery foundation, backing our new five-year strategy to reclaim the direction of AI so that it serves people, society and planet.

The new partnership will support and grow the Fund’s community of over 60 organisations working at the intersection of AI, social and environmental justice across Europe. As AI infiltrates every part of society, public interest organisations play a huge role in safeguarding people’s rights and charting a new path where AI is an enabler not an impediment to equality, dignity and a healthy planet. 

European AI & Society Fund grantees are holding tech corporations accountable for AI harms affecting the most marginalised in society. For example, Observatorio TAS is fighting for delivery drivers who are having their rights eroded by algorithm-driven platforms like Glovo and UberEats. Meanwhile, the European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance educates sex workers about digital rights and how to protect themselves from AI threats like deepfakes.

Other grantees such as Algorithm Audit and Civio investigate how AI-powered algorithms are applied in the private and public sector – from AI deciding who gets welfare benefits, to how AI-cancer detection is biased – and crucially how they can be improved. Recently, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism’s investigation on Character.AI’s chatbots pushing children to commit crimes or harm themselves, led to tighter restrictions. 

These are just some of the public interest groups backed by the Fund across 27 countries, who are working to safeguard people’s privacy, protect children’s wellbeing, fight for labour rights, and demand more transparency around AI. 

Catherine Miller, Co-Director of the European AI & Society Fund said:

“We’re delighted the Postcode Loterij has joined the community of funders supporting our work. As we launch our new five-year strategy, this award is a vote of confidence and demonstrates the growing commitment across philanthropy to making AI work for everyone, not just the powerful few.”