Schmidt Futures - InfluenceWatch Profile

web

influencewatch.org·influencewatch.org/organization/schmidt-futures/

This InfluenceWatch profile covers Schmidt Futures, a philanthropy initiative by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt that funds AI research and has been scrutinized for influencing U.S. government AI policy, relevant to understanding private-sector influence on AI governance.

Metadata

Importance: 35/100wiki pagereference

Summary

Schmidt Futures is a philanthropy initiative founded by Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt in 2017, operating under a for-profit LLC structure to fund AI, synthetic biology, and STEM research. It has been scrutinized for indirectly funding Biden administration science policy positions and influencing federal AI programs. Its initiatives include AI postdoctoral fellowships, synthetic biology programs, and scientific software development.

Key Points

•Founded in 2017 by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt; operates as an initiative of for-profit Futures Action Network LLC, not a nonprofit.
•Funds AI research including the 'Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship' and the Virtual Institute for Scientific Software.
•Scrutinized in 2022 by Politico and Tech Transparency Project for funding salaries of 20+ Biden administration science policy officials.
•Spawned Convergent Research, focusing on synthetic biology, microbiology, and solutions to climate change and disease prevention.
•Represents a significant example of private tech-sector influence over public AI and science policy through philanthropic funding mechanisms.

Cached Content Preview

HTTP 200Fetched Apr 21, 202611 KB

InfluenceWatch 

 About Us 
 Report an Error 
 Suggest a New Entry 
 
 Listen to the weekly IW Podcast 
 Subscribe to Our Newsletter 
 Educational Guide 
 
 Hubs 
 People 
 Non-profits 
 For-profits 
 Labor Unions 
 Other Groups 
 Political Parties/527 
 Government Agencies 
 Movements 
 Legislation 
 FOLLOW US 
 Menu 
 
 
 Donate 
 
 
 
 
 Other Group 
Schmidt Futures

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Website: 
 www.schmidtfutures.com/ 

 
 
 
 Formation: 
 2017

 
 
 
 Type: 
 Scientific Grantmaker

 
 
 
 Founders: 
 Eric Schmidt, Wendy Schmidt

 
 
 
 CEO: 
 Eric Braverman

 
 
 
 Parent Company: 
 Futures Action Network

 
 
 
 Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

 
Notice: JavaScript is required for this content. 
 
 
 
 Schmidt Futures is a scientific research firm and social philanthropy founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife Wendy Schmidt in 2017. It dedicates its funds to scientists, researchers, and programs that work on artificial intelligence (AI), synthetic biology, and other STEM-related projects.

 Schmidt Futures is not a standalone legal entity and is not a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Rather, it is operated as an “initiative” by Eric Schmidt’s Futures Action Network LLC, a for-profit private firm, and is funded by Schmidt-related organizations like the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, a private foundation. 1 

 In 2022, Schmidt Futures was scrutinized by Politico , the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) , and others for indirectly funding and managing the Biden administration’s AI program and other initiatives related to STEM research and development. 2 

 Background

 Schmidt Futures was founded in 2017 by Eric Schmidt and his wife Wendy . 2 

 Bloomberg describes Schmidt Futures as a venture capital firm that invests in technology companies, while Schmidt Futures self-describes as a “philanthropy initiative.” 3 1 

 Schmidt Futures is not a standalone legal entity and is not a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Rather, it is operated as an “initiative” by Eric Schmidt’s Futures Action Network LLC, a for-profit firm, and is funded by Schmidt-related organizations like the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, a 501(c)(3) private foundation. 1 

 Activities

 Schmidt Futures primarily works as a network to connect software engineers and others involved in science and technology. It makes grants to both for-profit and nonprofit entities to support STEM research and development as well as social issues and advocacy. 1 

 Schmidt Futures gave birth to Convergent Research, which makes use of Schmidt-related experts and scientists to research microbiology, synthetic biology, and related fields. Convergent has announced plans to create more organizations to focus on problems like “climate change, developing new antibiotics, or generating data for preventing disease.” 4 

 As of January 2023, Schmidt Futures’ main funding initiatives included its Science Fe

... (truncated, 11 KB total)

Resource ID: 4d2ca7e9fe3903a2 | Stable ID: sid_8IkbszJB7w