A left-wing billionaire-backed philanthropic organization is funding a vast network to shape artificial intelligence (AI) policy, Politico reported.
Open Philanthropy, an organization backed by a Silicon Valley billionaire couple with connections to prominent AI companies, is financing salaries for over a dozen AI fellows from a nonprofit it funds through an organization called Horizon Institute for Public Service, according to Politico. These Open Philanthropy-sponsored fellows are working in important congressional offices, various federal agencies and powerful think tanks to shift policy focus to the existential risk of the technology. (RELATED: Experts Warn US Could End Up On ‘Losing End’ Of AI Tech Race With China If It Doesn’t Adapt Quickly)
This summer, our 2023 fellows are starting work across federal agencies, congressional offices, and think tanks.
With applications for our next cohort due Sept. 15, take a look at our fellows have launched their careers in emerging tech policy: https://t.co/g61mjlsOYJ
— Horizon Institute for Public Service (@HorizonIPS) August 22, 2023
Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and his wife Cari Tuna are the primary financial backers of Open Philanthropy, according to its website.
Moskovitz and Tuna have overwhelmingly contributed to Democratic candidates and political action committees, according to OpenSecrets. Both Open Philanthropy and the Good Ventures Foundation, another Moskovitz-backed nonprofit, donate heavily to left-wing causes, according to InfluenceWatch.
Horizon is financing the salaries of staffers in the offices of Democratic New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, Republican South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds and Republican Indiana Sen. Todd Young, according to Politico. These lawmakers are working with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in his effort to spearhead AI regulation efforts.
Moreover, Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal has a Horizon AI fellow who recently worked for the maker of the popular chatbot ChatGPT, OpenAI, according to Horizon’s website.
Horizon is a separate entity and it “originally started the fellowship as consultants to Open Phil until they could launch their own legal entity and pay fellows’ salaries directly,” Open Philanthropy spokesperson Mike Levine told Politico. Open Philanthropy “did not play an active role in screening, training, or placement of fellows,” he added.
Current and former Horizon AI fellows are embedded in the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, State Department, House Science Committee and Senate Commerce Committee, which play a significant role in crafting AI policies, according to Politico. They are also embedded in think tanks influencing AI policy such as the RAND Corporation and Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET).
The network has particularly focused on the existential risks AI poses to humanity, which AI researchers have criticized for distracting from more urgent issues, according to Politico.
Moskovitz is also a co-founder of Asana, for which OpenAI CEO Sam Altman led a $50 fundraising effort, according to Asana’s website. Additionally, Moskovitz’s Open Philanthropy granted $30 million to OpenAI in 2017, according to its website.
Moskovitz and Open Philanthropy also have several significant connections to Anthropic, another leading AI firm, according to Politico.
Open Philanthropy, Horizon, OpenAI and Anthropic did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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