Today, Microsoft and OpenAI announced the launch of a $2 million Social Resilience Fund to advance AI education and literacy among voters and vulnerable communities. In a year when two billion people around the world will vote in democratic elections, it is more important than ever to provide people with the tools and information to help them navigate increasingly complex digital ecosystems and find authoritative resources.
Grants delivered from the fund will benefit several organizations, including AARP's (OATS) Senior Technology Services, the Content Provenance and Authenticity Alliance (C2PA), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), and the Partnership for AI (PAI) . We provide AI training and support work to better understand AI capabilities. Together, we will increase the resilience of society as a whole against the use of deceptive AI content.
The Social Resilience Fund is a joint effort between Microsoft and OpenAI that follows public commitments made through the White House Voluntary Commitment and the Technology Compact to Prevent the Deceptive Use of AI in the 2024 Elections. A diverse group of global civil society organizations and academics are working to support efforts to increase public awareness and the resilience of society as a whole. Our common goal is to combat the growing risk of malicious actors using AI and deepfakes to deceive voters and undermine democracy.
Here's how some of our key partners plan to use their grants:
- Aging Technology Services from AARP (OATS) We will develop and deploy training programs focused on educating U.S. adults ages 50 and older about fundamental aspects of AI. The program includes in-person as well as virtual training, access to guides specifically designed for this population, and special programming focused on supporting older Americans as they navigate a rapidly changing, AI-enhanced world.
“As AI tools become part of our daily lives, it is essential that older adults learn more about new risks and opportunities. We are excited to partner with Microsoft and OpenAI on this important project to ensure that people aged 50 and over have access to education, information and support to help them improve their lives with new technologies and protect themselves from misuse.” – Tom Kamber, Executive Director of AARP’s OATS
- that much Union Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) We will be launching an educational campaign to provide clarity and awareness of the current state of digital disclosure methods and best practices. This campaign will produce and distribute materials explaining the options that currently exist, including content provenance and watermarking, how they interact and complement each other, and how we expect end users to engage with these metrics. These efforts will also seek to explain and promote awareness of the availability of content credentials.
“C2PA is pleased to partner on this important step to increase awareness of content provenance and promote a healthy digital media ecosystem. “This campaign was created to inform and empower people to make informed decisions and navigate an increasingly complex digital world.” – Ray Lansigan, C2PA Marketing and Communications Chair
- International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) We plan to conduct global training to help increase public awareness of AI and electoral resilience across society. The project will focus on empowering electoral management bodies (EMBs), civil society and media actors through training and dialogue. The goal is to equip these groups with the skills and understanding needed to navigate the opportunities and challenges presented by AI.
“Electoral authorities, the media and civil society have an important role to play in protecting and preserving democratic institutions. “We look forward to working with communities around the world to increase awareness and understanding of AI and how it will impact the important work it does.” – Alberto Fernandez Gibaja, International IDEA Digitalization and Democracy Program Director
- Partnership for AI (PAI) We will build and strengthen a groundbreaking synthetic media framework. This framework was established to provide audiences with transparency about generative AI, establish best practice guardrails for safe and responsible AI development, and broaden the diversity of voices charting the future of AI innovation. This effort will support the AI and Media Integrity Program by updating and improving the Synthetic Media Framework, gathering use cases, and helping the field improve policies and practices for responsible synthetic media, including emergency mitigation.
“The AI Partnership aims to bring together the diverse stakeholders who create, use and distribute synthetic media to improve knowledge, action and transparency around the responsible use of AI. We look forward to our continued partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft to promote accountability to ensure AI advancements benefit people and society.” – Rebecca Finlay, AI Partnership CEO
The launch of the Social Resilience Fund is just one step in Microsoft and OpenAI's commitment to addressing the challenges and needs of AI literacy and education. The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) will bring together civil society and industry members, including OpenAI and Microsoft executives, tomorrow (May 8, 2024) to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Microsoft and OpenAI are committed to this work and will continue to collaborate with organizations and initiatives that share our goals and values.