Google Launches Program to Aid Nonprofits in Adopting Generative AI

Google’s philanthropy arm, Google.org, has launched Accelerator: Generative AI, a six-month program to support nonprofits developing high-impact generative AI applications.

The program provides support to nonprofits looking to develop generative AI tools and solutions for social challenges in several areas, including health care and education.

It also includes a course that offers mentoring, technical training and support from dedicated AI coaches.

Google.org’s program also provides nonprofits with more than $20 million in funding to support their development efforts.

Twenty-one organizations, including Beyond 12 and IDinsight Inc., are participating in the initiative. Beyond 12 is developing a generative AI coach for college students from underprivileged backgrounds, while IDinsight Inc. is developing AI tools to respond to health-related inquiries from expectant mothers in South Africa.

Google is also supporting the World Bank, which created an AI tool to make research more accessible for policymakers, and Full Fact, which developed an AI tool to summarize health misinformation.

Google staff will work with three of the nonprofits, Tarjimly, Benefits Data Trust and mRelief, full-time and for up to six months to help build their AI solutions.

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Tarjimly is developing AI translation tools to assist human translators who aid refugees, while Benefits Data Trust is using large language models to power AI assistants for workers helping low-income applicants access public benefits and mRelief is developing an assistant to help with applying for the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

A recent Google.org survey of more than 4,000 nonprofits found that 81% believe generative AI could help their efforts, while two out of five organizations admitted to not using the technology.

Lacking technology skills and a lack of awareness of potential use cases were among the adopted bottlenecks nonprofits cited in the survey.

Google.org’s survey says the private sector should provide training on generative AI to nonprofits at low or no cost “to ensure civil society does not get left behind as the technology advances.”

Google’s philanthropy arm pledged to develop free training and educational resources for nonprofits, with its latest efforts designed to help nonprofits make the most of generative AI.

“Generative AI can help social impact teams be more productive, creative and effective in serving their communities,” said Annie Lewin Google.org’s senior director of global advocacy and head of Asia Pacific. “In fact, Google.org funding recipients report that AI helps them achieve their goals in one-third of the time at nearly half the cost.”

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