Yoshua Bengio launches LawZero, a nonprofit AI safety lab | TechCrunch
Jun 03, 2025 - techcrunch.com
Turing Award winner Yoshua Bengio is launching a nonprofit AI safety lab called LawZero to develop safer AI systems. The initiative has secured $30 million in philanthropic funding from notable contributors, including Skype founding engineer Jaan Tallinn, former Google chief Eric Schmidt, Open Philanthropy, and the Future of Life Institute. The name LawZero references the Zeroth Law of Robotics, emphasizing the protection of humanity. Bengio, a key figure in the AI field, is a strong advocate for AI safety and has supported California's AI safety bill, SB 1047, aimed at preventing catastrophic AI scenarios.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Bengio expressed skepticism about OpenAI and Google's commitment to prioritizing safety in their pursuit of more advanced AI systems. His efforts with LawZero reflect his dedication to ensuring that AI development aligns with human safety and ethical considerations.
Key takeaways:
Yoshua Bengio is launching a nonprofit AI safety lab called LawZero to build safer AI systems.
LawZero raised $30 million in philanthropic contributions from notable figures and organizations.
The name LawZero references the Zeroth Law of Robotics, emphasizing the protection of humanity.
Bengio has expressed skepticism about OpenAI and Google's commitment to AI safety.
