Google.org, the charitable arm of Google, has unveiled a new initiative to support nonprofits in harnessing the power of generative AI technology for impactful projects.
The Google.org Accelerator: Generative AI The program is designed to help nonprofits develop new solutions to address pressing social challenges using generative AI.
The report cites research from Google.org, which shows that four in five nonprofits believe generative AI could be relevant to their work, but only about half are using it.
Google.org AI accelerator
Google.org says the main challenges to AI adoption are a lack of tools, awareness, training and funding. The six-month accelerator program aims to support nonprofits in developing powerful generative AI applications to address these challenges.
The selected projects will cover a wide range of social impact initiatives, including access to public services, educational support for disadvantaged communities, disinformation and language translation for refugees.
Program participants will benefit from technical training, workshops, mentorship and support from dedicated AI coaches. Google.org also announced more than $20 million in funding to support the projects of nonprofit participants.
Annie Lewin, Director of Global Advocacy at Google.org, highlighted the potential of generative AI to enable social impact projects, stating: “Generative AI can help social impact teams be more productive, creative, and effective in serving their communities. In fact, recipients of Google.org funding report that AI helps them achieve their goals in a third of the time, at nearly half the cost.”
When the technology first gained attention about a year and a half ago, concerns arose about its potentially uncontrollable power and its impact on the human workforce. However, Google.org’s accelerator program shows how organizations around the world can use AI for social good.