Make It Make Cents

[Originally posted on Substack. Subscribe here to read it first.]

In 2011, a song on the Billboard Hot 100 claimed, “It's not about the money, money, money.” But in 2024, it seems we’re singing a different tune. As we find ourselves in the midst of another election season, Americans are voting with their wallets. A recent survey showed that the most important issue for 25% of Americans was inflation and prices, and a further 10% were most concerned about jobs and the economy. 

As candidates pitch their economic plans, AI-powered nonprofits (APNs) are quietly forging new pathways to prosperity around the globe. How? Let’s dive in.

(I'll be further exploring the intersection of AI and economic opportunity in a few weeks at an event hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Raffi Krikorian from Emerson Collective, Nick Arevalo from Tipping Point, Lili Gangas from Kapor Foundation, and I are discussing how philanthropy and nonprofit organizations are navigating GenAI's role in shaping economic opportunities for low-income communities. Join us virtually for the GenAI for Economic Opportunity panel.)

Data to Dollars

Picture this: A teacher in Karnataka, India earns her monthly salary in just six hours. A college student outearns his field labor wages while sitting at home. The secret? Their smartphones, mother tongues, and AI. Karya pays rural Indians to teach AI their native languages through simple tasks like reading aloud or transcribing text. At $5 per hour – 20x the local minimum wage – it's redefining ethical AI data work. Most recently, Karya used Gemini to create tools that help partners worldwide set up similar projects in local languages. In the language of progress, Karya's proving fluency in both tech and fairness.

+ The verdict is in: Karya and Adalat AI are raising the bar in legal tech. These Fast Forward alums are partnering to develop AI training data specifically tailored for legal settings in Indian accents and languages. By merging Adalat AI's legal tech savvy with Karya's grassroots data collection, they're setting a new precedent for accessible legal AI.

It Takes a CareerVillage

The future of work is changing. Shouldn't career guidance change, too? Enter Coach, CareerVillage.org's AI-powered solution to democratize career development. Due to systemic underinvestment in career preparation resources nationwide, personalized guidance is a luxury many can't access. The chat-based platform aims to fill the gap, offering 24/7 tailored support from resume writing to job hunting. Coach isn't just about finding jobs — it's about empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their futures, a crucial step in breaking the cycle of poverty.

+ While CareerVillage guides U.S. career seekers, Tabiya charts a global course for youth employment. This nonprofit is building an open-source AI tool called Compass to help young job seekers in low- and middle-income countries identify their skills and match with suitable jobs. By emphasizing skills over credentials, Tabiya is using tech to create opportunities for talent to thrive regardless of background.

Engineering Equitable Futures in Tech

CodePath is investing in tech's future with AI as a prime asset. The organization is on a mission to create the most diverse generation of engineers, CTOs, and future founders. CodePath offers students cutting-edge computer science courses, career support, and job placement at no cost through partnerships with top universities and tech companies. Its adaptive learning courses personalize the classroom experience, and its AI-powered chatbot for career readiness ensures graduates are ready to hit the ground coding. With an 80% boost in job placements, it's clear: when it comes to reprogramming the tech talent pipeline, CodePath has cracked the code.

Quick Bytes 

Other Sector Stories

• Last month, I introduced the AI-powered nonprofit landscape my team and I had been exploring. We’ve since shared two more articles: a deep dive on how APNs are tackling climate change, co-written with Salesforce’s Naomi Morenzoni, and a feature on enhancing health care equity, co-written with The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation’s Nick Cain. Coming Monday: the next article in the series, with a focus on education.

• As the world races to green the grid, people are wondering just how much renewable energy will slash emissions. AI-powered nonprofit WattTime.org crunched the numbers and came back with everyone's favorite answer: it depends. The analysis reveals a crucial insight in the clean energy quest – where you build matters just as much as what you build.

• Ever looked at a nonprofit's AI proposal and thought, "Sounds impressive, but what does it really mean for impact?” My co-founder Shannon Farley and I have been there. So we put together a guide for grantmakers navigating AI in the social sector.

• Google.org is hosting its first-ever Impact Summit on September 4th. Tune in virtually to hear from philanthropic and nonprofit leaders, including Shannon Farley and CareerVillage founder Jared Chung, on the future of AI in the social sector.

APN Funding News 

• Fast Forward's 2025 Startup Accelerator application is live! Selected orgs gain 12 weeks of mentorship, a tight-knit community, and $25K. Last year saw a 6x boom in AI-powered nonprofit applicants. Know one that should apply? Send the application their way.

• Future of Life Institute (FLI) is offering up to $4M grants for AI projects focused on developing safe, distributed AI systems that empower humanity to use AI to solve the most pressing problems of our time.

• Meta is accepting proposals from organizations worldwide with an idea for how to use Llama 3.1 to address social challenges in their communities. Selected recipients will receive up to $500K.

Let’s Talk

I am living and breathing AI for humanity these days. If you are too, let’s talk! 

Link Library 

• AI for Humanity

• AI for Humanity Speaker Bureau (great AI speakers for your events)

• AI for Humanity Resource Hub (recommended reads, listens, and watches)