Philanthropic organizations announced on Tuesday a $500 million initiative designed to shift the trajectory of artificial intelligence development away from exclusively corporate priorities and toward human needs and public-interest goals.

Launched under the name Humanity AI, the coalition is committing the funds across the next five years to support technology projects, advocacy, research, and community-led efforts that its backers say will center people and the planet in AI’s rapid integration into everyday life. “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,” John Palfrey, president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, said in a statement announcing the initiative.

The effort is led by several foundations, including MacArthur and the Mozilla Foundation, and intends to bankroll organizations that promote openness, transparency, and democratic participation in AI design and deployment. “The systems shaping our lives must be powered by people, open by design, and fueled by imagination,” Nabiha Syed, executive director of the Mozilla Foundation, said in the announcement.

Humanity AI’s stated priorities include funding civic-technology groups that work directly with marginalized communities, supporting independent research into social impacts and environmental costs, and backing legal and policy advocacy aimed at increasing accountability for AI systems. The coalition frames the investment as a counterweight to the concentrated technical and financial power of major technology companies, which have driven much of the recent progress in generative AI.

The timing reflects mounting concern among policymakers, researchers and the public. Lawmakers in the United States and Europe have intensified scrutiny of AI, while civil-society groups have warned that unchecked deployment could exacerbate discrimination, labor displacement and surveillance. Philanthropic leaders argue that private foundation money can seed alternative models — open-source tools, community governance experiments and public-interest labs — that may be harder for profit-driven companies to prioritize.

Experts and advocates welcomed the infusion but cautioned about limits. “Philanthropy can catalyze new approaches, but $500 million will not by itself reverse decades of infrastructure and market power concentrated in a handful of firms,” said one AI policy researcher who spoke on condition of anonymity to criticize private-sector dominance without singling out specific companies. Observers note that corporate R&D budgets and commercial investments in AI still dwarf philanthropic contributions, and that lasting change will require regulatory frameworks and public funding.

Humanity AI’s organizers say they intend to coordinate with governments and other funders to amplify impact. They plan to announce initial grant recipients and partnerships in the coming months, and to emphasize transparency in how funds are allocated. The coalition also emphasized environmental concerns, aiming to support projects that reduce the carbon and resource footprint of AI systems.

For now, the pledge represents another sign that noncommercial actors are stepping into the AI policy and development arena at scale. Whether philanthropic dollars can meaningfully rebalance influence in a field shaped by vast private investment and rapid technological change remains an open question — but for communities feeling sidelined by algorithmic decisions, the effort offers a new route to participation and oversight.