How do we hardwire humanity into the governance of tech?
Our Strategy
We are tech policy experts, conveners, and advocates who work across ideological differences to ensure technology policy is responsive to the public interest. We collaborate broadly with stakeholders to shape how technology is governed and held accountable in the US and Europe.
We support individuals, organizations, and coalitions proposing stronger policies, standards, and institutions. We invest in policy ideas and advocacy campaigns that promote competition, privacy, safety, inclusion, consumer protection, workers’ rights, and openness in the development and deployment of technology.
Additionally, we believe the government has an important role in shaping our shared digital future. We support public sector research and development, the creation of digital public goods, and the adoption of responsible open-source approaches that spur innovation.
Technology products are too often designed to encourage addictive and abusive behaviors, harming children, teens, and seniors. Legislative and design reforms can help create healthier online spaces for everyone.
At Omidyar Network, we support groups that advocate for social media warning labels and address how AI companions affect children and teens. We also champion consumer privacy protections and assist states and corporations in rethinking their approach to online safety and digital rights.
America needs open, competitive marketplaces to maintain its global leadership in technology, foster innovation, and protect national security. Fair practices help new ideas and businesses flourish, give consumers real choices, and keep our economy healthy.
At Omidyar Network, we work to promote competition among tech companies and support antitrust enforcement when monopolies obstruct rivals from being successful, infringe on consumer choice and safety, and cease to innovate.
For example, we support groups challenging the concentration of tech power through targeted legislative reforms and enforcement in Washington, DC; US states; and Europe. We also support those working to update outdated laws and legally protect consumers and communities from harm.
Additionally, we work with emerging and smaller tech companies to convey to policymakers how anti-competitive behavior affects their businesses, consumers, and overall innovation, ultimately impacting the broader economy. These stakeholders share a common interest in scaling American-led innovation and “winning” the AI race.
We need AI that works in the public interest. Governments with publicly owned and controlled AI infrastructure can serve societal goals (instead of profit motives). Public infrastructure can level the playing field, allowing America’s entire talent pool—including startups, researchers, and communities—to participate in the AI revolution.
At Omidyar Network, we work to advocate for public AI infrastructure that enables local innovation. We support projects that broaden access to compute, data, and other tools.
We also track digital trade discussions to ensure that federal policies and trade agreements promote fair competition, protect consumer privacy, and support responsible AI development across North America and Europe.
The rapid integration of AI technologies into the workplace presents new challenges that existing labor laws do not adequately address. It's critical workers understand and advocate for their rights related to emerging technology. We also need employers to adopt human-centered AI practices and governments to enact legislation that ensures AI's transformation of work benefits everyone.
At Omidyar Network, we focus on establishing rights and protections for workers in a digital age. For example, we support groups advocating for policy solutions to issues arising from AI-enabled worker surveillance and work monitoring brought on by AI, algorithmic management tools, and other technologies. We also support groups calling for federal, state, and EU policies to protect workers’ privacy and data from extraction.
See some of the people and organizations we’re funding to elevate humanity and evolve the governance of tech.
We’re at a clear inflection point in the trajectory of AI. Without guardrails to set the rules of the road, we’re committing ourselves to carrying forward more of the same: extractive, invasive, and often predatory data practices and business models that characterized the past decade of the tech industry. We’re committing ourselves to the seamless transition of Big Tech from surveillance monopolies to AI monopolies. We must break this cycle.
AI Now Institute
An AI policy research institute focused on challenging and reimagining the current trajectory of AI
Young People's Alliance is a youth-led organization that develops bipartisan policy on the most pressing yet overlooked youth issues, organizes young people, and advocates for policy change to rebuild the American Dream for young people.Learn More
Center for American Progress is an independent, nonpartisan policy institute that is dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through bold, progressive ideas, as well as strong leadership and concerted action.Learn More
Carnegie Mellon University's Open Forum for AI is an initiative that provides holistic, objective expert advice regarding AI, particularly as it relates to research, technical prototypes, policy recommendations, community engagement, and inclusion.Learn More
Americans for Responsible Innovation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to policy advocacy in the public interest, focused on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.Learn More
