New Delhi: Google, has unveiled a new initiative aimed at supporting nonprofit organizations that are developing technology utilizing generative AI. Dubbed the Google.org Accelerator: Generative AI, this program will be backed by $20 million in grants and will initially include 21 nonprofits such as Quill.org, which focuses on AI-driven tools for student writing feedback, and the World Bank, which is developing a generative AI application to enhance accessibility to development research.
Beyond financial support, participants in the six-month accelerator program will receive technical training, workshops, mentorship, and guidance from an AI coach. Additionally, through Google.org’s fellowship program, teams of Google employees will dedicate full-time efforts for up to six months to assist three of the nonprofits—Tarjimly, Benefits Data Trust, and mRelief—in launching their proposed generative AI tools. Tarjimly aims to utilize AI for language translation to aid refugees, while Benefits Data Trust is leveraging AI to create assistants supporting caseworkers in facilitating enrollment for low-income individuals in public benefits. mRelief is designing a tool to simplify the application process for U.S. SNAP benefits.
Annie Lewin, director of global advocacy at Google.org, emphasized the potential of generative AI to enhance the productivity, creativity, and effectiveness of social impact teams in serving communities. She noted that Google.org funding recipients have reported achieving their goals in a third of the time and at nearly half the cost with the help of AI.
Despite the enthusiasm for AI innovation among nonprofits, there are significant barriers to adoption, including cost, resources, and time constraints. According to a Google.org survey, while the majority of nonprofits believe generative AI could benefit their work, nearly half are not currently using the technology due to various internal and external challenges, such as lack of tools, awareness, training, and funding.
Nevertheless, a growing number of nonprofit AI-focused startups are emerging. Fast Forward, a nonprofit accelerator, reported a significant portion of AI companies among applicants for its latest class, while various nonprofit organizations worldwide are dedicated to ethical approaches to AI, including AlgorithmWatch, JoyEducation, and Earth05, focusing on AI ethics, virtual education, and conservation advocacy, respectively.
