AI is going to unlock vast amounts of philanthropic capital. But can it also rewire how philanthropy itself operates?
Read or watch my chat with @adamlgoff in our latest SCI PHI article on Agentic Philanthropy at @RenPhilanthropy
Link below⬇️
💰 🌾 Food security philanthropy is evolving.
@RenPhilanthropy's CRISPR-based rice initiative with @CIMMYT, @irri and Jennifer Doudna’s lab aims to improve nutrition without sacrificing yield.
A strong example of philanthropy and science working together for farmers.
🚨 We are hiring! 🚨
Could you be our next head of operations? 👀
We are looking for an exceptionally high-agency, adaptable and organised individual, who is excited about our mission to create UK growth & progress, to run operations for our growing team.
Full time, £70-90k, London.
Full details & how to apply here: https://t.co/pUJCCBNCHD
NEW
Chancellor announces new restriction on use of judicial review for “critical infrastructure” clean energy projects - ie wind and nuclear - and time limitation for other projects, roads, rail and reservoirs - this is in addition to the streamlining of the process in the planning law.
Will curb environmental challenges to big infrastructure plans.
I am so proud of what we are building at @RenPhilanthropy.
In our first two years, we have: unlocked $533 million behind our mission; launched 22 programs and funds ; and have developed partnerships with 5 governments.
Thank you to our team, partners, and supporters!
Our second annual report is live! Two years ago, we launched @RenPhilanthropy to fuel a 21st century renaissance by increasing the ambition of philanthropists, scientists and innovators.
Here's what we've achieved:
🧵
Our $20M Open Source for Science Fund is now live with support from @biohub and @wellcometrust.
Open source science and tools is foundational to scientific progress and is more important now than ever before.
First RFP goes live in a week so please apply!
The AI revolution in science is powered by open source software. Let's fund it.
Today we're launching the Open Source for Science Fund @os4science, a new multi-donor philanthropic fund by @RenPhilanthropy, seeded by @biohub and @wellcometrust, with support from @KavliFoundation and Research Software Alliance.
🧵https://t.co/8EHRlKRTaA
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Most people I know in AI think the median person is screwed, and they have no idea what to do about it.
I spent the last 3 months talking to dozens of researchers, economists, and policy experts about AI's impact on work; including reps from every frontier lab and several Congressional offices. Unfortunately, I was not reassured.
The AI industry is raising the alarm, but can't change course. These companies' core business model relies on the disruption they are warning about: their faith in full automation only makes them go faster.
Policymakers are waking up, but still paralyzed by data and debates. Econ wonks disagree on plenty, but even the limited scenario looks like a "painful transition" that will disempower millions of workers.
But an "underclass" is not inevitable, but rather a societal choice — and one we can and should stop. Instead of waiting for impact, we should start planning now to support workers through AI disruption. Whether policymakers can assuage concerns about economic security may determine if we get to reap AI's gains at all.
New from me for @NYTOpinion. I put a ton into researching what I think may be the biggest topic of the year, so hope you read it (gift link here!) https://t.co/NiGJpjyjzH
Amazing to see Emergent Ventures winners in the wild! Congrats to @akadogluk and @Itamar_Bitan who run on for my favorite startup @dognosis (where they train dogs to detect cancer), for their latest publication. A start up with ideas and little furry workers so amazing, that the excellent, @RahulSanghi1 compares it to a sci-fi fiction! Though it could also from a Disney movie.
“AI is now the engine of economic power and hard power. And the future is coming at us fast … not in the next few decades but the next few years.”
Lots to like in this speech, especially if we pursue with real ambition (and willingness to make the trade offs)
The best part of building Renaissance Philanthropy has been building the team and attracting the highest quality talent to the org.
We are so excited to have @ilangur join us as he explores opportunities in neurotech. Given his track record, I just know this will be big and true!
We are beyond excited to announce @ilangur as a Senior Fellow at @RenPhilanthropy.
Ilan was the founding CEO of @ARIA_research, is the founder of Activate, supporting scientists and researchers to turn breakthrough research into world-changing products and businesses, a founding Program Director at @ARPAE, and the founder of two startups.
At Renaissance Philanthropy, Ilan will scope new opportunities across neurotechnology and frontier science, driven by a deep belief in our collective potential to drive a step change in human flourishing.
Ilan has been a long-standing collaborator and friend of our community and we couldn't be more thrilled to make it official.
To explore this work, get in touch: [email protected]
I don’t think enough people realise how fast the world is changing and going to change.
Spending the last week in the bay has made it feel so visceral.
Better insights lead to better outcomes. AI is transforming the labor market, but can competitive forecasting reliably predict the pace?
We’re piloting the Labor Automation Forecasting Hub in partnership with @Metaculus and the Schultz Family Foundation to test if competitive forecasting can provide the rigorous, long-term signals policymakers need. 🧵
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We got a chance to showcase
@AlterMagIndia in our favourite journal of ideas @WorksInProgMag.
In 1924, a self-taught physicist from Calcutta, teaching at a newly established university in Dhaka, solved a problem that had stumped European physics. He mailed it to Einstein, and changed how we understand matter. His name was Satyendra Nath Bose.
Bose never won a Nobel Prize. But his contribution, Bosons, advanced human progress.
Bosons change the world by gathering. So do Ideas.
Introducing Claude Design by Anthropic Labs: make prototypes, slides, and one-pagers by talking to Claude.
Powered by Claude Opus 4.7, our most capable vision model. Available in research preview on the Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans, rolling out throughout the day.
Britain has always been great.
The telescope, jet engine and world wide web were all invented here.
And now, a new generation is rising.
Entrepreneurs like @vriparbelli, @matiii, and @jamesdacombe are building the technologies of the future from right here.
There's more to be done and there's more to be built, but I love this country and I love seeing it trying to solve the hardest problems in the world.
LETS GO
Clips taken from @KanishkaNarayan and @matthewclifford's speech at @lfg_uk
Four years ago, I started @PopVaxIndia with no real knowledge of biology and <$50k in personal funding, convinced that the combination of generative AI for design & RNA for delivery would unlock a new class of vaccines & therapeutics against diseases resistant to legacy methods.
Pleased to be rejoining the civil service as Investment and AI adviser in DSIT. As an exited founder and angel investor in over a hundred startups I’m hopeful I can help make Britain the place for tech and AI. It’s a part time role as I will still be carrying on my work at Oxford University and on the board of the ALB of the DfE Oak National Academy. This government has made great strides on AI and tech. Excited to get going and help!