New policy ideas for the Intelligence Age
OpenAI is funding 14 independent projects worldwide to explore how advanced AI can broaden economic opportunity and societal resilience, awarding $1 million in grants and up to $1 million in API credits.
OpenAI announced grants totaling $1 million and up to $1 million in API credits for 14 independent projects aimed at addressing how AI can expand economic opportunity and societal resilience. The initiative follows the company’s April 2026 publication of *Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age*, which emphasized the need for collaborative policy development to ensure AI benefits are widely shared. Projects span the United States, European Union, Brazil, Singapore, and South Korea, focusing on practical applications such as workforce disruption scenarios, AI-driven productivity distribution, and frameworks for broader AI access.
Among the selected projects, the American Enterprise Institute and Centre for European Policy Studies will examine AI’s impact on employment and productivity distribution in the U.S. and Europe, respectively. The European Centre for International Political Economy will explore models for broader AI ownership, while the Abundance Institute will analyze state-level energy policies to accommodate AI-driven data center demand. These projects will produce research, policy models, and prototypes to inform real-world implementation and public debate.
Other projects target AI’s role in public services and governance. The Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo will evaluate an AI-enabled clinical information system for Brazil’s public hospitals, while Nanyang Technological University will develop privacy-preserving AI tools for government policy simulations. The Institute for Security and Technology will create a framework for monitoring recursively self-improving AI systems, and Yonsei University will assess AI’s potential to enhance democratic accountability in South Korea’s legislature.
The grants reflect OpenAI’s commitment to supporting independent research and policy development beyond corporate or governmental control. Projects will run for six months, with results expected in 2027. OpenAI stated the initiative aims to broaden the conversation on AI policy, emphasizing that democratic societies must collectively shape how AI is deployed to ensure equitable benefits.