In response to our question in the headline, we're going to guess not, because we hadn't either until recently. Yet the Knight Foundation of Miami, funded by the family behind the Knight-Ridder newspapers, has joined a group of investors in this $27 million fund from other foundations, academic institutions and investors in this endeavor. It's quite an interesting initiative and good to know that there are minds out there considering the broader implications of Artifiial Intelligence - with all its pluses and minuses for society - moving forward. Incredible initiative.

(Cindy Taylor/Publisher)

"Even when we don’t know it, artificial intelligence affects virtually every aspect of our modern lives. Technology and commerce will ensure it will impact every society on earth. Yet, for something so influential, there’s an odd assumption that artificial intelligence agents and machine learning, which enable computers to make decisions like humans and for humans, is a neutral process.

It’s not.

Even algorithms have parents, and those parents are computer programmers, with their values and assumptions. Those values – who gets to determine what they are and who controls their application – will help define the digital age.

Algorithms can reflect standards of beauty, standards of morality, standards of acceptable behavior. As computers learn and adapt from new data, those initial algorithms can shape what information we see, how much money we can borrow, what health care we receive, and more.

For Knight Foundation, and our deeply rooted belief that informed and engaged communities are essential to democracy, exploring artificial intelligence is a natural. Identifying the ethical issues in AI, helping determine who decides them, and engaging diverse perspectives is the way we’ll make the most of AI’s potential to benefit society – and minimize its potential harm.

A group of foundations, investors and academic institutions are joining in this unique collaboration, called the Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence Fund. This effort brings together leading minds in technology, philanthropy and two of the leading academic centers on internet issues. Together, we’re committing $27 million as the initial commitment to the effort. It’s unusual, not just for the mix, but because of the personal commitment and engagement of this group...."

Read Full Post at Knightfoundation.org