The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation

This Women’s History Month, we celebrate the incredible women whose leadership we see in action every day at the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. From driving initiatives that empower communities, to advancing equitable solutions for all, women leaders throughout tech and philanthropic sectors are demonstrating how inclusive innovation has a global impact. Their work underscores that shared participation is the pathway to societal progress. To every creative, brilliant, and empowering woman in our field: your strategic vision, technical expertise, and commitment to human-centered solutions demonstrates that when women lead in social impact spaces, we all move closer to realizing the full potential of innovation for social good. #WomensHistoryMonth #TechForGood #AI

Weekend Listening: NPR Podcast on AI and our shared future - https://lnkd.in/eMSaDxwC Regulation vs. private innovation in AI is a false - and distracting - choice. The right question: Who gets to decide what AI is built for and who it serves? On NPR 1A with the brilliant Jennifer White, we challenged a common narrative that pits government against industry to expand the space of our public discourse.? Right now, AI systems are designed by people who will never use them to solve problems they've never experienced. The Kenyan farmer's needs never reach the Silicon Valley engineer. It's unfair - but just as important - very inefficient. So what if we flipped the model? Instead of asking how to control AI built elsewhere, let's define new strategies so communities can build AI for themselves. This is a practical argument: local solutions consistently outperform imported ones because they address real needs using local insights. With philanthropic capital, transformation of educational institutions, and creating new spaces of innovative entrepreneurship, we could realize a different - and better - version of our collective future. Listen to our full conversation and tell me: What would your community build if given the right tools? #AI #Innovation #Governance #FutureOfAI #NPR1A Mathilde Barge Mary Rodriguez, MBA The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation

?? Join us next week at the Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit on March 26-27 for an inspiring mainstage session! ??? “Funding AI Innovation” will feature PJMF’s VP of Strategy and Innovation, Nick Cain, alongside Michele Lawrence Jawando from the Omidyar Network for a thought-provoking discussion on funding AI innovation and solutions. This conversation is open to everyone via the virtual broadcast - register at aka.ms/nonprofitsummit with code DIGITAL. ?? What’s in store? Nick and Michele will explore the evolving funding landscape for AI-driven solutions in the nonprofit sector. They’ll share insights, strategies, and real-world advice to help organizations secure resources, align with donor priorities, and craft compelling proposals that drive impact. Join us online: aka.ms/nonprofitsummit with code DIGITAL. #TechForGood #AI Microsoft AI Skills Microsoft for Nonprofits Kate Behncken Naria Santa Lucia

Silicon Valley created AI's power. Our communities will give it purpose for humanity's benefit. At The World Bank Global Digital Summit this week, I asked a simple question: Why should a Kenyan farmer rely on an AI model trained on Global North data to predict drought patterns unique to their land? They shouldn't. They deserve tools designed to reflect local reality and local dignity. There’s a story emerging that AI flows in one direction: from a handful of tech hubs outward. It's a profound missed opportunity. The most powerful AI solutions - the ones that will change billions of lives - don't come from universal models, but from focused ones built by, and for, the communities they serve. One real world example: When clinicians in rural Brazil tried applying U.S.-trained breast cancer detection models, they discovered a critical gap. These models weren't calibrated for local medical equipment, clinical workflows, or the distinct presentation patterns in their patient population. The local team had to rebuild from scratch, creating systems tailored to their reality. Their success demonstrates why we need AI built within the contexts it serves, not imported as a finished product. To learn more about this work, see https://lnkd.in/edV-k8Nn Across the globe, developers are creating specialized models that outperform much larger systems because they understand local languages, cultures, and challenges. Yet high-level AI policy conversations sometimes treat these regions as consumers rather than creators. In a conversation moderated by Dr. Rumman Chowdhury (CEO, HumaneIntelligence), I built on this vision alongside Amal EL FALLAH - SEGHROUCHNI (Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Morocco), Cina Lawson (Minister of Digital Economy and Transformation, Togo), @David Leslie (Director of Ethics and Responsible Innovation Research, The Alan Turing Institute), and Kate Kallot (CEO, Amini). We need both local AI development and global cooperation. Not every country needs to build foundation models, but every country needs the capacity to shape AI for their unique challenges. We know AI is transforming society - but will this transformation reflect the full spectrum of human experience or just a narrow slice of it? #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalSovereignty #AIforGood #TechForGood #GlobalAI #AIInnovation #AIgovernance #PublicInterestTech Johan Bjurman Bergman Sharmista Appaya Mathilde Barge Mary Rodriguez, MBA Amandeep Gill Arturo Franco Vivek Sharma

Over the last two years, with the support of The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, IST has been on a mission to assess the risks and opportunities associated with the development and deployment of cutting-edge AI foundation models. IST is again excited to announce renewed support from PJMF to further advance this vital work. "It’s our collective responsibility to ensure AI advances human potential as systems evolve in autonomy,” PJMF president Vilas Dhar said. “As highly advanced AI foundation models become more integrated into critical aspects of society–from healthcare and finance to transportation and national security–IST’s work will guide policymakers and industry in navigating the transformative potential of AI,” IST CEO Philip Reiner said. ?? Read the announcement: https://lnkd.in/gra6-Ent ?? Learn more about the AI Risk Reduction Initiative: https://lnkd.in/gxMayf-9

According to Shaomei Wu, “The people who have been left out of tech often have the best insights for making products that are equitable and empowering for everyone.” The founder and CEO of AImpower.org highlights her own experience as a person who stutters and as an immigrant woman in tech as the motivation for her work – to build more inclusive AI in partnership with communities with disabilities. In the latest PJMF partner spotlight, Wu shares insights with Yolanda Botti-Lodovico on pathways to “grassroots AI” that respects and celebrates the full spectrum of the human experience. It’s not enough to just create accessible and adaptive technologies. We need to recognize the unique gifts and expertise of people with disabilities and empower all marginalized people to participate in our AI ecosystem as creators and decision-makers. Read more about AImpower’s work here: https://loom.ly/CK4WRU4 #TechForGood #AI AImpower.org Nick Cain

AI governance must go beyond economic interests to support sustainable global progress. At The World Bank Global Digital Summit, PJMF President Vilas Dhar joined Cina Lawson, Kate Kallot, David Leslie, Dr. Rumman Chowdhury, and Amal EL FALLAH - SEGHROUCHNI for a discussion on the future of AI governance and implementation. The session outlined several needs for global AI deployment, emphasizing the importance of governments treating AI infrastructure as essential public infrastructure. Small-scale, locally trained AI models often work better for communities on the ground, and policymakers have the responsibility to ensure these technologies are driving opportunity for all. With strategic investment and policy frameworks that prioritize human dignity and economic opportunity, countries can build systems that empower their people. There is a balance required for global AI adoption, where systems maintain interoperability while honoring the needs of civil society. To fully realize locally-relevant AI development, it must be rooted in community values and priorities. Learn more about how PJMF is advancing this work at mcgovern.org. #WBGDigitalSummit #TechForGood #AI Mathilde Barge Mary Rodriguez, MBA

At the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, we know that realizing AI’s potential requires more robust participation and new perspectives. We’re expanding the dialogue to Instagram @PJMFdn, creating a space for new voices to shape the future of AI. Join us as we connect with communities, amplify the voices of our partners, and continue our mission to create solutions that advance human dignity. Follow us here: https://loom.ly/xcNXxdM Follow PJMF President Vilas Dhar here: https://loom.ly/AU2c4eY #TechForGood #AI

We can build AI that amplifies human potential without compromising safety. The key lies in defining clear red lines. When AI systems were simple tools, reactive safety worked. As they gain autonomy and capability, we need clear boundaries on what these tools can and should help humans accomplish - not to limit innovation, but to direct them toward human benefit. Our Global Future Council on the Future of #AI at the World Economic Forum just published findings on "behavioral red lines" for AI. Think of them as guardrails that prevent harm without blocking progress. What makes an effective red line? Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g-x7Sb73 Clarity: The boundary must be precisely defined and measurable Unquestionable: Violations must clearly constitute severe harm Universal: Rules must apply consistently across contexts and borders These qualities matter. Without them, guardrails become either unenforceable or meaningless. Together, we identified critical red lines in our daily tech tools such as systems that self-replicate without authorization, hack other systems, impersonate humans, or facilitate dangerous weapons development. Each represents a point where AI's benefits are overshadowed by potential harm. Would we build nuclear facilities without containment systems? Of course not. Why then do we deploy increasingly powerful AI without similar safeguards? Enforcement requires both prevention and accountability. We need certification before deployment, continuous monitoring during operation, and meaningful consequences for violations. This work reflects the thinking of our Global Future Council, including Pascale Fung, Adrian Weller, Constanza Gomez Mont, Edson Prestes, Mohan Kankanhalli, Jibu Elias, Karim Beguir, and Stuart Russell, with valuable support from the WEF team, including Benjamin Cedric Larsen, PhD. I'm also attaching here our White Paper on AI Value Alignment - where our work was led by the brilliant Virginia Dignum. #AIGovernance #AIEthics #TechPolicy #WEF #AI #Ethics #ResponsibleAI #AIRegulation The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation Satwik Mishra Anissa Arakal

AI governance is failing not because the technology is moving too fast, but because our vision is moving too slow. We focus (rightfully) on AI risks: concentration of power, automation of bias, deepening inequities. But as I meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week sharing expertise on these questions, I'm struck that we're missing the most important question - what do we need to do to get AI right? First, we need to flip the script on regulation. Policymakers are racing to catch up with AI that we all barely understand. This approach guarantees failure. Effective governance starts with human values, not technical specifications. Regulation should articulate the society we want AI to build and invest public resources in building it. One where technology strengthens autonomy, not surveillance and expands opportunity instead of concentrating wealth and power. Public-interest AI isn't charity - it's insurance against a future that none of us want. Second, the idea of a “global AI arms race” misses the point. When one nation develops unsafe AI, everyone faces the consequences. Officials from across the globe believe they can solve AI governance alone. They can't. AI impacts travel instantly across borders. The most powerful AI systems are built by companies, not countries. This makes traditional governance models obsolete before implementation. I explored these ideas on NPR’s The Middle with Jeremy Hobson and Ina Fried of Axios, where we answered questions that millions of Americans and global citizens ask themselves about AI: "Who writes the rules when algorithms shape our lives?" "How does AI strengthen rather than undermine democracy?" "What role can ordinary citizens play?" These questions stem from a deep rooted common sense - the public grasps what experts often miss. Callers from diverse backgrounds articulated concerns that technical papers bury in jargon. The foundations we lay today will determine whether AI becomes the most democratizing technology in human history or the most oppressive. Listen to our conversation: https://lnkd.in/e7_Fs8mm #ArtificialIntelligence #PublicInterestTech #AIForGood #TechForGood #HumanCenteredAI #FutureOfWork? #AIEquity The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation Jeremy Hobson Lisa Micele Center for AI and Digital Policy EqualAI Aspen Digital Vivian Schiller