The OpenAI Foundation, the non-profit organisation that oversees OpenAI and ChatGPT, has announced it will allocate $1 billion over the next year to projects with social impact.
The commitment marks a shift towards a more active role for the foundation, which had reduced its activities in recent years as OpenAI expanded its commercial operations. It also offers a clearer indication of how the company intends to pursue its original goal of developing artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
Focus on health, research and social impact
According to the announcement, the funds will primarily support research in biosciences and health, as well as initiatives addressing the effects of artificial intelligence on employment, the economy and mental health, with particular attention to children.
The initiative follows a previous commitment to allocate a total of $25 billion to similar activities, although no timeline had been specified at the time. The foundation also announced plans to recruit a new executive director to coordinate the distribution of grants.
Changing role of the foundation
OpenAI was founded in 2015 as a non-profit organisation, but in recent years it has developed a strong commercial presence, with ChatGPT and related technologies placing it among the most valuable companies in the sector.
Since the creation of its for-profit arm in 2019, the foundation’s activities have been significantly reduced, according to its financial data.
In 2024, the foundation received just $4,433 in donations and distributed $7.6 million in grants, according to the most recent available tax filings. Analysts note, however, that these figures do not fully reflect the scope of its activities or the way it connects to OpenAI’s broader mission.
At the same time, the company appears to be redefining the foundation’s role. In 2025, it established an advisory committee which recommended increasing resources allocated to the non-profit arm and expanding engagement with communities on the societal impact of artificial intelligence.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns about the consequences of AI, ranging from the energy consumption of data centres to the technology’s effects on mental health and its use in military applications.
With information from Associated Press.