Building Just Futures in the Era of AI: Philanthropy’s Role
Since OpenAI released ChatGPT in late 2022, a growing conversation among tech-savvy philanthropists has emerged, focusing on two critical questions: ‘What should we do about AI?’ and ‘How can we proactively build capacity to mitigate the real harms produced by the private sector?’ As we look towards 2025, the urgency surrounding these questions has escalated as the harms associated with AI are increasingly compounded by actions from the U.S. government.
Experts in the field emphasize that current discussions often begin with technology as the focal point, which limits innovative solutions. Instead, they propose a new approach: envisioning the world we want and then determining how AI fits into that picture.
One of the central insights from collaboration within philanthropic circles is the necessity for humility in complexity. Funders are encouraged to move away from linear problem-solving strategies in favor of sociotechnical approaches that emphasize relationship-building and coalitional power. This perspective sees the infrastructure necessary for AI not as purely technological but as fundamentally relational and translational, fostering the possibility of a democratic future.
Understanding Relational Infrastructure
While discussions of AI infrastructure typically emphasize data and computing power, experts argue that a focus on relationships is essential for systemic change. In the collaborative report ‘The Relational Work of Systems Change,’ researchers underscore that relationships are the fabric for effective collective impact. Building relational infrastructure allows changes at a systemic level by fostering trust among various stakeholders.
For instance, the Public Technology Leadership Collaborative (PTLC) exemplifies how creating a peer-learning community can change relational dynamics. Government leaders are encouraged to participate without their institutional identities, fostering an environment of trust and mutual problem-solving, essential for impactful systems change.
Translational Infrastructure for Change
Establishing relational infrastructure leads to the next challenge: how to translate across various perspectives and expertise. Traditional capacity-building efforts often fall short because they treat translation as a one-time training session rather than an ongoing conversation among peers. For meaningful understanding and collaboration, time and iterative engagement are crucial.
Organizations like the Twin Cities Innovation Alliance illustrate successful translation efforts. By emphasizing dialogue and understanding among community members and public officials, they shift the focus from merely reacting to problems to collaboratively crafting innovative solutions—highlighting how stakeholder engagement can lead to durable, community-driven power structures.
Transforming Power Dynamics in Philanthropy
To effect lasting change, funders must recognize and address the inherent power imbalances in the funder-grantee relationship. Acknowledging these imbalances creates opportunities for building trust and sharing power, allowing for more profound discussions on the issues at stake and fostering collaborative problem-solving.
To design interventions that center the voices of marginalized communities, funders may reflect on power dynamics in their engagements. By understanding the experiences and needs of affected groups, philanthropic efforts can lead to effective solutions that prioritize equity in AI deployment.
Imagining the Future Together
Ultimately, the call to action is clear: philanthropy should be empowered to envision radical futures and work backward to identify appropriate interventions today. Philanthropy holds the unique potential to drive significant systemic changes by asking better questions and prioritizing collaborative, inclusive dialogues about technology and its impacts.
Effective philanthropic engagement can contribute to building futures that are not only just but also abundant and filled with potential, proving that through thoughtful partnership and relationship-building, positive changes can be realized in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI.
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