Hewlett Foundation Launches $100 Million Initiative Targeting AI, Biotechnology, and Quantum Security
Key Insights
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (search) announced a five-year, $100 million grantmaking initiative focused on policy, security, and governance challenges of AI, biotechnology, and quantum computing.
Unveiled at the Aspen Security Forum, the initiative will allocate $20 million annually through 2031 to civil society organizations, universities, think tanks, and policy research institutions.
The program targets three core areas: protecting critical infrastructure from AI-driven threats, mitigating quantum and bio vulnerabilities, and establishing global governance norms for dual-use technologies.
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (search) has announced a five-year, $100 million grantmaking initiative focused on the policy, security, and governance challenges of fast-moving emerging technologies. Announced at the Aspen Security Forum, the Emerging Technology and Security Initiative will allocate $20 million annually through 2031 to civil society organizations, universities, think tanks, and policy research institutions.
The program specifically targets artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing, aiming to bridge the operational gap between fast-moving commercial technology sectors and slower-moving government regulatory frameworks.
"Rapidly emerging technologies like AI hold extraordinary promise while posing novel security challenges," said Hewlett Foundation President Amber D. Miller. "We view embracing progress and tackling safety risks as natural complements, not competing approaches."
Building on Exploratory Grantmaking
The initiative builds on $10 million in exploratory grantmaking announced in early 2026, which funded policy hubs including Stanford University's Hoover Institution and Vanderbilt University's Institute for National Security. An additional $10 million in exploratory grants will be deployed through the remainder of 2026.
The program structures its global grantmaking strategy around three core security priorities.
Three Pillars of the Initiative
Protecting Critical Infrastructure: The initiative aims to strengthen defense of essential systems including municipal power grids, water infrastructure, hospitals, and the information ecosystem against AI-enabled threats and malicious software agents, both domestically and globally.
Mitigating Quantum and Bio Vulnerabilities: The program addresses long-term national security risks associated with biological engineering and quantum computing while governance windows remain open. In the quantum domain, this includes supporting policy frameworks for post-quantum cryptography migration, quantum-safe network architecture, and export control standards.
Establishing Global Governance Norms: The initiative assists state governments, federal agencies, and international allied nations in developing rules and standards to govern dual-use emerging technologies responsibly while maintaining democratic leadership.
A Philanthropic Bridge
Led in its startup phase by Eli Sugarman, former director of Hewlett's Cyber Initiative, the new program reflects a pragmatic, evidence-based approach to technology governance. By funding independent research and convening cross-sector dialogues, the initiative aims to establish empirically grounded policy solutions that balance national security safeguards with commercial deep-tech innovation.
"Too much of the AI and emerging technology debate misses questions ordinary people care about most — their safety and how these technologies impact their families," said Sugarman. "This is about evidence-based problem-solving, funding creative experts on critical cybersecurity challenges, and convening diverse stakeholders across government, industry, and civil society."
The initiative extends Hewlett's 60-year history of philanthropic funding at the intersection of technology, national security, and public policy, complementing its previous multi-year initiatives in cybersecurity policy and nuclear security. The foundation emphasizes that success requires broad coalition partnerships, including constructive engagement with technology companies on shared safety and security priorities while maintaining civil society's independence.