A new AI partnership called Current AI has been launched with $400 million in initial funding to support artificial intelligence development for public benefit.
Announced at the French AI Action Summit, the initiative aims to raise $2.5 billion over five years to enhance AI transparency, support open-source tools, and expand access to high-quality datasets for AI training.
Backed by Google, Salesforce, and philanthropic organizations like the Ford Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation, the project seeks to align AI development with social and environmental goals.
The initiative focuses on smaller AI models that rely on specific, high-value datasets rather than large-scale computing power.
Founder Martin Tisné believes AI can make a significant impact in areas like healthcare, where AI could help combat diseases such as Parkinson’s and long COVID.
He also emphasized the need for better data accessibility, suggesting that innovations in privacy-preserving technologies could allow more people to contribute their data for AI research.
Several governments, including France, Germany, Chile, Kenya, and Nigeria, have joined as partners, while the U.S. and Asian governments are notably absent.
The partnership also aims to bring together public and private funding to drive AI projects that prioritize public interest. The initiative will offer grants and align funding efforts to encourage collaboration between different stakeholders.
Current AI’s goals include making open-source AI tools as user-friendly as proprietary alternatives and ensuring AI systems are accountable by involving diverse communities. The initiative also seeks to unify AI auditing standards to improve transparency and safety.
Industry figures, including leaders from Hugging Face and OpenAI board member Fidji Simo, have expressed support. As the initiative gains momentum, more backers, including potentially the Gates Foundation, are expected to join in the coming months.
