Jeff Bezos To Underwrite Climate AI

Jeff Bezos will modestly use his non-profit to underwrite AI climate forecast research projects. Since Amazon, the company he founded, is at the forefront of major AI advances, this is an interesting move, even if the two are unrelated. 

According to Axios, “The Bezos Earth Fund is unveiling the first recipients in its grant program to harness AI for biodiversity protection, sustainable proteins, improving power grids and more.” The modest projects include AI work with the bioscience company Essential Impact. Another is a project at Cornell. Yet another is The Botanical Gardens Conservation International. Each is part of the $100 million “AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge” which Bezos has set up as a larger fund.

Bill Gates Model

Each of these investments is very small, and based on the lead other companies have in AI-related climate initiatives, they may not matter. Like Bill Gates, Bezos has the opportunity to watch for winners and losers from the pack. He can then opt for a larger investment in the winners.

This is also an example of how not all AI investments will come from corporations or the government. The world’s richest people have tens of billions of dollars at their disposal, but almost none they need. 

Andrew Mellon virtually started the public library system in the US by funding over 1,600 libraries. There is reason to believe that something like that could happen again.

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