Future of Life Institute

The Future of Life Institute is a nonprofit organisation that works to steer transformative technology toward benefiting humanity and away from extreme, large-scale risks. Its activities span policy development, grantmaking, outreach and institution-building, with a staff of more than 20 people and a presence in the United States and Europe. Its stated premise is that technology should serve humanity rather than the reverse.

The institute's technical remit covers artificial intelligence, machine learning, biotechnology, nuclear weapons policy, technology governance and public policy. Its team is drawn from varied backgrounds, including machine learning, policy, medicine and governance institutions, and its work is multidisciplinary and cross-institutional in character.

Public initiatives include the Puerto Rico AI Conference and the Asilomar Conference, both convened to discuss artificial intelligence challenges and safety, and the Asilomar AI Principles, an influential set of principles for beneficial AI development. The institute has also produced public advocacy material, among them the film Slaughterbots, which addresses autonomous weapons and was widely circulated.

Day-to-day work centres on convening conferences, making grants and conducting public advocacy and education. The organisation describes itself as mission-driven and focused on reducing existential risk.