named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
AI as Normal Technology (AINT)
Research and advocacy initiative analyzing AI’s societal impacts, arguing against extraordinary government intervention and promoting resilience-based policy responses to AI risks
Public Education and Policy Advocacy
Produces essays, reports, and public events to shape discourse on free expression, AI governance, and digital rights
Strategic Litigation Program
Initiates and supports legal challenges to protect free speech and press rights in digital contexts, including government transparency and platform accountability
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Free Expression Defense & Advocacy 3 activities
- Public education and convening on First Amendment issuesOrganizes symposia and public events to examine the impact of national security policies on free speech and press freedoms, including the legacy of 9/11 and the “War on Terror.” Operates a blog to disseminate research and educational content on free expression and digital rights.
- Research on free expression, digital platforms, and democratic institutionsConducts interdisciplinary legal and policy research on free expression in the digital age, including the role of lawyers in preserving democracy, constitutional limits on government funding conditions, surveillance, censorship, and the impact of AI on bureaucratic systems. Publishes essays, occasional papers, and legal scholarship on these topics.
- Strategic litigation to defend free speech and press freedomsEngages in litigation to challenge government policies that infringe on free speech and press rights, including cases involving ideological deportation, surveillance, and retaliation against researchers and journalists. The organization has secured federal court rulings against Trump-era policies targeting noncitizen researchers and pro-Palestinian advocacy, and has filed lawsuits challenging AI-powered surveillance and immigration judge silencing.
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AI Governance and Ethical Research 1 activity
- Policy advocacy for free expression and government science integrityAdvocates for policy reforms to protect free expression, including institutionalizing scientific dissent and peer review in government science, enhancing transparency of online platforms, and promoting resilience-based approaches to AI risks. Proposes legislative, executive, and judicial mechanisms to safeguard scientific independence and public discourse.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Amicus participation in key free speech and technology casesFiles amicus briefs in appellate and Supreme Court cases to influence legal interpretations on digital rights, including geofence searches, warrantless cellphone searches at the border, AI transparency laws, spyware liability, and the application of computer crime laws to AI tools.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$8.25M
Contributions & grants$7.17M87%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$1.08M13%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$6.94M
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$5.85M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$15.79M
Cash$3.21M
Investments$12.58M
Liabilities$1K
Net assets$15.79M
Liquid reserves27.3 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +12.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEE C BOLLINGER | TRUSTEE (EX-OFFICIO) | 0 | $1.93M |
| GILLIAN LESTER | TRUSTEE (Through 08/2024) | 0 | $899K |
| NICHOLAS LEMANN | TRUSTEE | 0 | $679K |
| JELANI COBB | TRUSTEE | 0 | $676K |
| DANIEL ABEBE | TRUSTEE (As of 08/2024) | 0 | $412K |
| GERALD ROSBERG | TRUSTEE | 0 | $382K |
board members · 5
- ALBERTO IBARGUEN — Trustee (Ex-Officio) (Through 10/2024)
- DEB ROY — TRUSTEE
- EVE BURTON — Trustee (Through 10/2024)
- MARIBEL Perez Wadsworth — Trustee (Ex-Officio) (As of 10/2024)
- THEODORE OLSON — Trustee (Through 11/2024)
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- American Association of University Professors Partner — Co-counsel in litigation challenging ideological deportation policies.
- American Association of University Professors Partner — Co-counsel in litigation challenging the Trump administration’s policy of ideological deportation.
- American Association of University Professors Partner — Co-litigant in a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's policy of ideological deportation.
- Coalition for Independent Technology Research Partner — Partnered with CITR to challenge a Trump administration policy that threatened noncitizen researchers with immigration consequences.
- Harper’s Magazine Partner — Partnered in co-sponsoring a public symposium on the impact of the “Forever War” on speech and press freedoms.
- IAEA Government — Referenced in discussion of nuclear nonproliferation as a comparative model for AI governance.
- NSO Group Government — Opposes NSO Group in litigation over the development and use of commercial spyware.
- Research Advisory Board Network — Advisory body providing guidance on the Institute's research program.
- Simon and June Li Center for Global Journalism Partner — Co-convened and co-sponsored a symposium on the legacy of the “War on Terror” for First Amendment freedoms.
- The Columbia Daily Spectator Partner — Partnered in co-sponsoring a public symposium on the impact of the “Forever War” on speech and press freedoms.
- Union of Concerned Scientists Partner — Collaborates in documenting political interference in agency science and suppression of internal dissent.
- WhatsApp Partner — Collaborates with WhatsApp in litigation challenging the development and use of commercial spyware.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Democratic Internet Governance and Platform Accountabilitymethodology: platform_accountability_and_transparencyBy advocating for transparency, accountability, and civic-minded design in digital platforms and internet governance, the Institute strengthens democratic discourse because open and participatory systems are essential infrastructure for modern free expression.
- Integrated Advocacy for Digital Free Expressionmethodology: integrated advocacyBy combining litigation, research, advocacy, and public education, the Institute strengthens free expression in the digital age because systemic change requires multiple leverage points acting in concert to shift legal and cultural norms.
- Resilience-Based Approach to AI and Speech Governancemethodology: resilience_over_restrictionBy building societal resilience and adaptive capacity rather than restricting AI development, the Institute mitigates risks to free expression because durable defenses across institutions are more effective and less rights-infringing than preemptive technological suppression.
- Scientific Independence as Free Expressionmethodology: scientific_independence_as_free_expressionBy defending scientific independence and institutionalizing dissent in government science, the Institute protects free expression because political interference in science undermines public knowledge and democratic discourse.
- Strategic Litigation to Defend Speech Rightsmethodology: strategic_litigationBy using targeted litigation to challenge government policies and digital technologies that suppress speech or undermine due process, the Institute protects free expression because legal precedents and public accountability can deter systemic overreach.