An ensemble from Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras in performance.
In Wednesday’s (12/3) Associated Press, Thalia Beaty writes, “OpenAI has awarded $40.5 million to more than 200 nonprofits in the first round of grants it has made since it rebranded its nonprofit as the OpenAI Foundation in October…. OpenAI promised to grant out $50 million in July in response to the recommendations of an advisory commission they convened to offer feedback about how it should accomplish its mission of building safe artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity…. OpenAI asked groups to apply with projects that support AI literacy, strengthen civic life or foster economic opportunity. The awards were limited to nonprofits with an annual budget between $500,000 and $10 million.… The Three Rivers Young People’s Orchestras based in Pittsburgh received $90,000, which is 10% of its annual budget this year. Executive director Lindsey Nova said … her organization already uses ChatGPT as an assistant and drafting tool … Her organization, which runs multiple kinds of youth orchestras, proposed to use the funds to research the possibility of developing … apps. One would record rehearsals and add bookmarks when queued by the conductor. The goal would be to produce notes about what the conductor said during the rehearsal paired with the relevant clip of the rehearsal.”
Among the OpenAI grantees was the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, based in Park Forest, IL, which received $40,000. In a press release, the orchestra states that it “is keen to investigate utilizing the technology to enhance and bolster its mission and efforts…. ‘IPO champions live music and live arts experiences. IPO also recognizes AI’s potential to strengthen civic and cultural life, if applied thoughtfully,’ says IPO Executive Director Christina Salerno. ‘We see AI not as a replacement for human artistry, but as a tool to expand access, enhance participation, and amplify community voice.’ ”
