OpenAI Chairman Bret Taylor Unveils $1B Nonprofit Strategy by 2026

OpenAI, which was founded in 2015 as a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that AI benefits all of humanity, came under fire after it formed a limited-profit subsidiary in 2019 and accused figures such as co-founder Elon Musk of quitting its job. That chapter was effectively closed last year when OpenAI converted to a nonprofit organization and gave the nonprofit a 26 percent stake as part of a recapitalization. With that endowment now worth about $130 billion, the foundation plans to back projects that both advance AI and address its risks, according to Bret Taylor, chairman of the OpenAI Foundation, now one of the world’s largest philanthropies.

Taylor said in a March 24 update that the foundation will invest at least $1 billion this year in areas including life sciences, operations and community programs, marking a major increase in giving and accompanying a wave of new hires.

Taylor became chairman of OpenAI in 2023 after the dismissal and reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman. Taylor’s resume includes the chief technology officer of Facebook (now Meta), the CEO of Salesforce and the chairman of Twitter (now X), in addition to launching several startups, including AI company Sierra.

Among the key positions he announced is Jacob Trefethen, former managing director of the grant firm Coefficient Giving, who will head the foundation’s life sciences and disease treatment. Taylor said health will be a major focus in 2026, citing AI opportunities in Alzheimer’s research, public health data sets and breakthroughs in deadly diseases.

OpenAI founder Wojciech Zaremba will lead the foundation’s work on AI resilience. In addition to improving model security, that program will focus on making tools safer for new users and strengthening preparedness for both naturally occurring and AI-enabled biological threats.

The nonprofit organization flagged health and AI resilience as important last October when it pledged $25 billion across the two areas. That commitment followed a previous $50 million program for community-based organizations, which resulted in $40.5 million in grants for 208 nonprofits last year, and the creation of a grant-making advisory commission that includes figures like activist Dolores Huerta.

Taylor said AI sustainability will remain at the core of the OpenAI Foundation’s grants through 2026, as well as efforts to address AI’s impact on the workforce and the broader economy. More details on specific grant programs and funding programs are expected in the coming months.

As the foundation develops its strategy, it also expands its leadership bench. Anna Makanju, formerly OpenAI’s vice president of global impact, will be the head of AI for the community and philanthropy. Robert Kaiden, who previously held senior roles at Deloitte and Twitter, will serve as chief financial officer, and Jeff Arnold, founder of Depth Ventures, will serve as director of operations. The board plans to continue hiring until 2026 and is currently searching for an executive director.

The new commitments mark a significant increase from OpenAI’s previous philanthropy. In 2024, the most recent year for which public tax data is available, the foundation gave out an estimated $7.6 million, including a $1 million grant to the Meridian Institute’s AI security fund, which has since been dissolved, and a $950,000 directional research grant to the University of California, Berkeley.

Whether this expanded war chest will meaningfully shape how AI affects society remains an open question. Critics worry about rising energy consumption, changing labor markets and the psychological impact of AI tools as the for-profit OpenAI arms races to dominate the industry. Taylor, however, did groundwork as part of the answer. “We aim to enable the use of AI to find solutions to difficult human problems, to transform what people can do, and bring real benefits to people’s lives – while working hard with partners to prepare for new challenges, and help make society stronger, as AI advances,” he said.