Current AI Launch Press Release

Governments, philanthropies and tech companies launch new partnership to promote public interest AI - February 11 2025
‍
‍A new global public interest AI partnership, Current AI, was launched today at the AI Action Summit in Paris.
‍
Current AI is an initial $400 million investment from the French government, AI Collaborative, other leading governments, philanthropic and industry partners. The partnership aims to raise a total of $2.5 billion over the next five years.

Other funder and partners include Google, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and Salesforce. Current AI was set up to reshape the existing AI landscape by developing and supporting large-scale initiatives that serve the public interest. It will work to expand access to high-quality public and private datasets, invest in open-source tools and infrastructure to make AI more transparent and secure, and develop systems to measure AI’s social and environmental impact. Key focus areas include healthcare, linguistic diversity, science, and issues such as trust and safety, and AI auditing.

Ahead of the summit, ten governments, including Chile, Finland, Germany, and Nigeria committed to supporting the partnership and promoting AI in the public interest. They pledged to advance inclusive AI development that serves diverse communities while promoting national innovation and international cooperation.

Current AI is also supported by a group of 11 leading industry figures who have signed an open letter in support of the partnership, including Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), Clément Delangue (Hugging Face), Arthur Mensch (Mistral), Eleonore Crespo (Pigment) and Fidji Simo (Instacart), bringing invaluable expertise and insight to the partnership’s mission.

Martin Tisné, Founder of Current AI, said: “We have a critical window to shape the future of artificial intelligence. AI has the power to transform access to jobs, healthcare, and educationfor the better, but only if we act now. Current AI will drive a shift towards open, people-first technologies. We’ve seen the harms of unchecked tech development and the transformative potential it holds when aligned with the public interest. By supporting innovation that benefits all, we can ensure AI serves the public good.”

President Emmanuel Macron, said: “Current AI can change the world of AI. By giving access to data, infrastructures and computing power to a large number of partners, Current AI will contribute to developing our own AI ecosystems in France and Europe, to diversifying the market, and to fostering innovation throughout the world, in a fair and transparent way.”

Current AI’s initiatives will focus on three key areas:
● Data - Expanding access to high-value, locally relevant datasets in key areas like media, healthcare, and education.
● Openness - Promoting open standards and tools that ensure AI technologies remain accessible, adaptable, and inclusive.
● Accountability - Establishing robust frameworks for transparency, auditing, and public engagement to ensure AI systems serve the public interest.

Current AI will be working closely with donor collaboratives such as the AI for Development Funders Collaborative to advance a global AI ecosystem that serves public interest and fosters a more equitable world.

‍Ends
‍For more information, please visit currentai.org (live 11 February 2025)

For more information about Current AI please contact: Cora Bauer at +447787897467 or at cora.bauer@digacommunications.com
‍For on the ground interviews at the AI Action Summit with Martin Tisné please contact: Marin Bergman at +18185162746 or at marin@jainepr.com

‍Full list of partners and supporters of Current AI (listed alphabetically)

‍Core Partners
‍● AI Collaborative
● French government
● Google
● John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
● Patrick J. McGovern Foundation
● Salesforce
● The Ford Foundation

‍Country Partners
‍● Chile
● Finland
● France
● Germany
● India
● Kenya
● Morocco
● Nigeria
● Slovenia
● Switzerland

‍Supporters
‍● Hugging Face
● Instacart
● Norrsken Foundation
● Pleias
● Sakana AI

‍Champions
‍● Anastasia Stasenko, Co-founder & CEO, Pleias
● Arthur Mensch, Co-Founder & CEO, Mistral AI
● Brent Hoberman, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Founders Forum Group, firstminute capital & Founders Factory
● Clement Delangue, CEO, Hugging Face
● Eléonore Crespo, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Pigment
● Fidji Simo, CEO and Chair, Instacart; Board Member, OpenAI
● Jonas Andrulis, Founder & CEO, Aleph Alpha
● Niklas Adalberth, Founder, Norrsken Foundation
● Patrick Pérez, CEO, Kyutai
● Reid Hoffman, CoFounder LinkedIn & Partner, Greylock
● Ren Ito, COO, Sakana AI
‍