OpenAI Foundation – the not-for-profit arm of Sam Altman’s decidedly for-profit company – announced on Tuesday that it plans to invest another $1 billion to bolster AI’s ability to "find solutions to humanity’s hardest problems."

“Over the next year, as we quickly ramp up, the Foundation expects to invest at least $1 billion across life sciences and curing diseases, jobs and economic impact, AI resilience, and community programs,” foundation board chair Bret Taylor wrote in a blog post aimed at updating the public on its most recent endeavors.

Perhaps the most impactful initiative for the survival of humanity is the foundation’s commitment to life sciences and curing diseases, part of OpenAI's previously announced $25 billion pledge unveiled last October, coinciding with its corporate restructuring and the creation of the foundation itself.

“AI has enormous potential to speed up scientific and medical progress to save and improve lives. We are already seeing researchers using AI to better understand diseases, explore new ways to prevent and treat them, and move ideas from the lab to patients faster,” Taylor said.

AI for Alzheimer’s and deadly diseases

Although just a preview of what's to come in more detail, for now, the initiative is set to focus on using AI to boost three main areas under the tutelage of Coefficient Giving lead Jacob Trefethen.

• AI for Alzheimer’s - to help map disease pathways, detect biomarkers, and personalize treatments
• Public Data for Health – to create publicly accessible datasets to share scientific research.
• Accelerating Progress on High-Mortality and High-Burden Diseases - to help develop cheaper, faster treatments for underfunded, neglected diseases.

Also part of the $1 billion (and previous $25 billion) funding pledge is the focus on AI Resilience, with three areas of concern listed as AI impact on children and youth, biosecurity, and AI model safety.

As part of the AI resilience program, the foundation said it wants to ensure AI tools support the healthy development of children and teens by avoiding, detecting, and addressing safety risks early on.

The biosecurity program is aimed at strengthening how society prepares for potential biological threats – both natural and AI-enabled.

Wojciech Zaremba, a co-founder of OpenAI, will join the non-profit as Head of AI Resilience to lead this work, Taylor said.

Jobs, communities, and new leadership

The foundation will additionally focus on jobs and economic impact, saying that AI will change the nature of work and the economy, bringing both challenges and opportunities.

The group said it has begun engaging with economists, policymakers, small business owners, unions, and community groups to develop and fund practical solutions, with more details expected in the coming weeks.

Finally, the foundation plans to invest in initiatives to support communities through its People-First AI Fund, announced in July 2025, along with a $50 million commitment to support various nonprofits and mission-focused organizations “leading critical work on the ground.”

“These high-trust groups are closest to the communities they serve, focusing on helping people understand AI, benefit from its capabilities, and adapt to the changes it brings,” the OpenAI Foundation blog said.

Several other additions to the board were announced on Tuesday, including OpenAI’s former VP of Global Impact, Anna Makanju, as Head of AI for Civil Society and Philanthropy; former Deloitte and Twitter exec Robert Kaiden as Chief Financial Officer; and former Oracle and Dropbox leader Jeff Arnold as Director of Operations.

With more board roles expected to be filled in the coming months, the board is still searching for an Executive Director, Taylor said.

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