Harvard, MIT Get $27M to Research Artificial Intelligence From Humanities Perspective

Advances in artificial intelligence are happening in big ways, but the progress is all from the most technical minds and companies on Earth. Those in the liberal arts and humanities, however, are now thinking they need to get in on AI before it drastically changes how we live. To do AI research for the public interest from an entirely new perspective, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, the Omidyar Network (a philanthropic investment firm) and the Knight Foundation (which invests in journalism and arts) have put together a $27 million fund for AI research. Called the "Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence Fund," it applies the humanities, social sciences and other disciplines to the development of AI. "Artificial intelligence and complex algorithms in general, fueled by big data and deep-learning systems, are quickly changing how we live and work…" reads the announcement from the Knight Foundation. "Because of this pervasive but often concealed impact, it is imperative that AI research and development be shaped by a broad range of voices--not only by engineers and corporations, but also by social scientists, ethicists, philosophers, faith leaders, economists, lawyers and policymakers."