Google, Facebook, Microsoft, IBM and Amazon Partnership

Five of the biggest tech companies have launched a collaboration to help the public understand the benefits of artificial intelligence. Partnership On AI brings together Amazon, Google, Facebook, IBM, and Microsoft. The companies have committed to artificial intelligence that’s open and inclusive.

There will be equal representation between corporate and non-corporate members on the board of the partnership, and it hopes to invite “academics, non-profits and specialists in policy and ethics” to join.

The initiative’s website explains its tenet as follows:

“We believe that artificial intelligence technologies hold great promise for raising the quality of people’s lives and can be leveraged to help humanity address important global challenges such as climate change, food, inequality, health, and education.”

In a press call, Partnership On AI members were asked about other larger tech companies that were notably missing from the initiative–mainly Apple. Microsoft’s Eric Horvitz, who serves as one of the project’s interim co-chairs, told The Guardian that they’ve been in discussions with Cupertino. “I know they’re enthusiastic about this effort,” he said, “and I’d personally hope to see them join.”

IBM’s Francesca Rossi comments

“This partnership will provide consumer and industrial users of cognitive systems a vital voice in the advancement of the defining technology of this century.”