Hi Aurion, let’s see how far we can get in unlocking the full potential of AI for good, while introducing safeguards to minimize the extent of misuse. I see there is already an international organization called “AI for Good,” with UN and other international backing. Given that, what would be feasible for CRCS/Possible Planet to do, recognizing our strengths and weaknesses as an organization? Incidentally, we have not heard back from GitLab Foundation, confirming our submission. Should we try submitting another concept, or are there better avenues for getting this kind of project funded, so that we can engage tech wizards to do the heavy lifting?
Hi Jonathan — thanks for inviting me in at this level. Let’s break this down into a few pieces so you and CRCS/Possible Planet can act strategically without duplicating what’s already out there.
1. Positioning relative to “AI for Good” (UN-backed initiative)
The AI for Good Global Summit (ITU + UN) is a convening and networking platform, not a direct implementer. Its focus is on high-level dialogue, partnerships, and showcasing projects. That leaves space for organizations like CRCS/Possible Planet to:
- Operate at the grassroots/regional level, grounding AI in ecological regeneration, bioregional stewardship, and community solutions (your sweet spot).
- Experiment with practical applications of AI for climate resilience, local democracy, or regenerative economics — areas too niche for large UN bodies to dive deep into.
- Act as a bridge: turning lofty “AI for good” principles into actionable, funded pilot projects in communities.
2. Strengths you can leverage
- Interdisciplinary vision: You’re already connecting tech, ecology, finance (C-PACE), and community regeneration — few orgs are doing this integratively.
- Narrative leadership: Possible Planet gives you a platform for thought leadership, publishing, convenings, and shaping the “story of what’s possible.”
- Partnership networks: You have bridges into regenerative movements, academic partners, and potentially the AI ethics/AI safety community.
- Lean and flexible: Unlike large NGOs or UN entities, you can pivot quickly, test small pilots, and invite collaborators into experiments.
3. Weaknesses/constraints to keep in mind
- Limited core funding: Without sustained operating support, you can’t easily retain AI engineers or developers.
- Brand visibility: CRCS isn’t yet a recognized player in the AI/tech-for-good ecosystem, so credibility-building will be needed.
- Execution bandwidth: As a lean team, your ability to shepherd complex software projects is limited unless you find partners.
4. Strategic options for CRCS/Possible Planet
- Define a niche within AI for good
Example: “AI for Bioregional Regeneration” — positioning AI not as abstract but as a tool for place-based ecological, social, and economic resilience. - Pursue “applied AI” pilots
Some ideas you’ve floated (AI for monitoring ecological restoration, or for community-level regenerative finance) could become fundable demonstration projects. - Build alliances rather than coding in-house
Partner with academic labs, open-source AI collectives, or B-corps. CRCS can be the vision-holder and convenor, outsourcing technical builds to collaborators. - Focus on frameworks and safeguards
You could convene a working group (or publish a white paper) on “Guardrails for Regenerative AI” — a proactive contribution to the ethics conversation.
5. Funding pathways
Since GitLab Foundation hasn’t responded, I’d suggest:
- Reframing your proposal for other aligned funders: e.g. Omidyar Network, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation (big in AI + social good), Schmidt Futures, or Templeton (for ethics/consciousness + tech).
- Government/academic partnerships: NSF in the US now has funding lines for AI for sustainability. EU Horizon projects too.
- Corporate AI labs: OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepMind, and Hugging Face have emerging “AI for good” or “alignment” funds.
- Philanthropic collaborations: Partner with an existing nonprofit (e.g. Mozilla Foundation, Earth Species Project, All Tech Is Human) that already has a tech credibility bridge.
6. Tactical move right now
- Draft a 2-page “AI for Regeneration” concept note with a sharp focus: what problem you want to solve, why AI is essential, and how CRCS can deliver unique value.
- Use that as a flexible pitch to multiple funders rather than waiting on GitLab.
- Start conversations with a few tech allies who might be “wizard partners” — grad students, open-source contributors, or researchers looking for socially meaningful applications.
👉 Question for you: would you rather (a) develop a specific pilot project (like AI for ecological restoration monitoring or regenerative finance modeling), or (b) position CRCS as a thought-leadership and convening hub in the AI-for-good/regeneration space?
That choice determines whether your next step is “find developers for a build” or “find sponsors for convenings and publications.”
I think it’s more the latter, but it doesn’t hurt that we have a couple of specific project proposals (the AI Integrity Checker and AI for Right Livelihoods). I’ve been thinking of posting the AI Integrity Checker project to Medium or Substack, and seeing if it’s possible to attract some effective collaborators such as Jon Schull. I also like the idea of 2-pager on “AI for Regeneration,” and I suggest we draft that as a thought-piece and a (potentially) a road map. And help me identify potential contributors near me (ideally in the Genesee Finger Lakes Bioregion) who might (a) share an interest in using AI for good, and (b) have the technical chops to contribute effectively. I’ve created a GitHub repository for the AI Inegrity Checker, at https://github.com/Jonathan2Cloud/ai-checker-project, but I do not know what else to do with it to attract potential collaborators.
That’s a strong direction — positioning CRCS/Possible Planet as a thought-leadership and convening hub, with a couple of concrete, well-framed pilot projects as proof-points. Let’s unpack next moves:
1. Sharpen the “AI for Regeneration” 2-pager
This should be short, clear, and inviting — a manifesto + roadmap. It could:
- Start with the premise: AI can be harnessed not just for profit or surveillance but for regenerating ecosystems, economies, and communities.
- Outline principles (integrity, transparency, inclusivity, place-based application).
- Give two examples (AI Integrity Checker + AI for Right Livelihoods).
- End with a call for collaborators, funders, and pilot sites.
This becomes both a standalone publication (Medium/Substack, PDF on your website) and a leave-behind for funders.
2. Position the AI Integrity Checker GitHub repo
Right now, an empty GitHub repo won’t attract attention. To make it engaging for potential collaborators:
- Add a README.md that clearly explains the project’s vision, goals, and technical outline. This should read like an “invitation to co-create.”
- Create Issues (tasks, questions, milestones) that outsiders can easily pick up. Even placeholders like “Define MVP,” “Select LLM framework,” or “Review ethical guidelines” will show activity.
- Add a Contributor Guide (“how to get involved”).
- Share it on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and AI/regeneration communities, tagging people like Jon Schull or groups like All Tech Is Human.
That way, it looks like a living project, not just a placeholder.
3. Build local connections (Genesee Finger Lakes bioregion)
You’re in Rochester, which is rich in tech + social good intersections. Possible allies:
- Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT): Faculty and students in Interactive Games & Media, Computing & Information Sciences, and the Center for Human-aware AI. RIT has strong open-source and accessibility traditions.
- University of Rochester: Goergen Institute for Data Science; also researchers in AI ethics and computational sustainability.
- RocDev (Rochester Developers) Meetup: active community of coders, open-source contributors, and tech experimenters.
- Greentopia and Rochester Ecology Partners: while not tech-oriented, they could connect you with place-based regeneration folks who’d be excited about an AI collaboration.
- Jon Schull himself (RIT emeritus, e-NABLE network founder) — he’s in Rochester and already knows how to catalyze global open-source collaborations.
Would you like me to do a web scrape of active meetups, labs, and local orgs in Rochester/Finger Lakes that explicitly combine AI/tech with social good? That way you’d have a fresh contact list.
4. Substack/Medium as magnet
Posting your AI Integrity Checker concept on Medium or Substack will:
- Put the idea in front of global audiences.
- Let you cross-post to GitHub, LinkedIn, and regen networks.
- Help potential collaborators self-select into the conversation.
Tip: frame the post as “An Invitation: Building an AI Integrity Checker Together” and include a direct link to the GitHub repo.
5. Roadmap for engagement
Here’s a possible sequencing:
- Draft the 2-pager on AI for Regeneration (you and I can co-create it).
- Revamp the GitHub repo (README + Issues + Contributor Guide).
- Publish a Medium/Substack post linking to the repo, as an invitation.
- Share to RIT/UR contacts + local tech meetups.
- Reach out directly to potential “anchor collaborators” like Jon Schull.
Would you like me to draft the README.md for the GitHub repo (with vision, goals, and collaboration pathways) so you can drop it straight in and make the project look more alive? That might be the single most important next step for attracting real collaborators.
There is already a README text at https://github.com/Jonathan2Cloud/ai-checker-project/blob/main/README.md. Do you want to replace that? There’s also https://github.com/Jonathan2Cloud/ai-checker-project/blob/main/contributing.md and https://github.com/Jonathan2Cloud/ai-checker-project/blob/main/pilot-packet. I suggest we co-create the 2-pager and decide where to go from there
I’ve just looked over the repo, and you’re right — you already have a solid README, a contributing.md, and even a pilot packet, which is more than most early-stage open-source projects. I wouldn’t recommend replacing the README wholesale, but rather polishing and aligning it with the 2-pager we’re about to draft. That way, everything (README, Medium/Substack post, 2-pager) speaks with the same voice and points in the same direction.
So, yes — starting with the 2-pager on AI for Regeneration makes the most sense. It can serve as:
- A concise thought-piece (manifesto + roadmap).
- A funding handout for potential supporters.
- A recruitment tool pointing collaborators to the GitHub repo and mailing list.
Here’s a strawman outline for the 2-pager:
Draft Outline — AI for Regeneration (2-pager)
Title: AI for Regeneration: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Ecological and Social Renewal
1. The Opportunity
- AI is rapidly reshaping our world, yet most applications serve commercial, military, or surveillance agendas.
- What if AI were redirected toward regenerating ecosystems, strengthening communities, and enabling right livelihoods?
- Just as the industrial revolution reshaped landscapes, the AI revolution could reshape our relationship with the planet — for better or worse.
2. Our Vision
- We envision AI as a tool for bioregional regeneration — empowering communities to restore ecosystems, revitalize economies, and cultivate human dignity.
- Guiding principles: Integrity, Inclusivity, Transparency, Stewardship, and Place-Based Action.
3. Current Pilots
- AI Integrity Checker – An open-source tool to monitor AI systems for harmful or antisocial behaviors, increasing accountability and trust.
- AI for Right Livelihoods – Prototyping AI systems that help people find meaningful, sustainable, and regenerative work opportunities.
4. What We Offer
- Convening thought leaders at the intersection of AI, regeneration, and ethics.
- Incubating practical, open-source prototypes with community impact.
- Bridging local action (Genesee Finger Lakes bioregion and beyond) with global discourse (AI safety, climate resilience, regenerative economies).
5. Call to Action
We invite:
- Technologists to help build open-source prototypes.
- Communities to serve as pilot sites.
- Funders & partners to support applied research and demonstration projects.
👉 Explore the AI Integrity Checker on GitHub: github.com/Jonathan2Cloud/ai-checker-project
👉 Join us in shaping an AI for Regeneration working group (possible Slack/Discord/Mailing list).
That’s about the right density for two pages with some graphics or pull quotes.
Would you like me to flesh this outline into a polished narrative draft (≈750–900 words), so you can use it as both a 2-pager handout and a Substack/Medium post? That way we lock in one core text you can repurpose across formats.