Google.org Launches $20M Fund for AI and Science

The recent Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for their work on AlphaFold is a testament to how AI can lead to groundbreaking scientific discoveries. Over 2 million researchers in 190 countries have already tapped into AlphaFold to speed up the battle against malaria, tackle a deadly parasitic disease, and open doors for new Parkinson’s treatments. AI's influence isn't just limited to biology; it's making waves in fields like hydrology, neuroscience, and climate science too.
But to keep pushing the boundaries of science with AI, researchers need more than just good ideas. They need funding, powerful computers, experts from various fields, and access to essential resources like the Protein Data Bank, which was crucial for AlphaFold's success.
That's why, at the first-ever AI for Science Forum, hosted by Google DeepMind and the Royal Society, Google.org announced a hefty $20 million in funding. This cash is aimed at supporting academic and nonprofit groups worldwide that are using AI to tackle tough, multi-disciplinary scientific challenges. We're talking about areas like rare disease research, experimental biology, materials science, and sustainability—all ripe for breakthroughs.
We're teaming up with our own experts at Google DeepMind, Google Research, and other AI teams, plus outside specialists, to pick the right organizations to support. On top of the cash, we're throwing in $2 million in Google Cloud Credits and some free technical know-how from our Googlers.
This new funding adds to the over $200 million Google.org has already given to groups using AI to boost their scientific efforts in the past five years. We've supported projects like Materiom, which is working on new types of plastics, the Women's Cancer Institute (run by Institut Curie) to better detect, treat, and understand women's cancers, and Doctors Without Borders in their fight against antibiotic resistance.
Time and time again, we've seen that when funding, technology, and teamwork come together, amazing scientific discoveries happen. We're hoping this new round of funding will spark more Nobel-worthy achievements that'll make a real difference in people's lives. And we're calling on other funders—philanthropic, public, and private—to join us in investing in long-term, impactful projects that show off AI's power to accelerate science at a digital pace.
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Comments (37)
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It's great to see Google putting money where their mouth is. But I wonder if this will just end up benefiting big pharma more than the actual researchers in developing countries. Still, AlphaFold is a game-changer. Hope the funds go to open science projects. 🤔
Mind-blowing how AI like AlphaFold is tackling malaria! $20M from Google.org is huge, but I wonder if it’ll spark a race for more AI breakthroughs or just more corporate control? 🤔
Google.orgのAIと科学のための2000万ドルのファンドはクールだけど、個人的にはどう助けてくれるのかわからない。研究者には素晴らしいけど、普通の私たちはどうなの?それでも、科学でAIが違いを生み出すのを見るのはワクワクするよ!
Фонд Google.org в размере 20 миллионов долларов на ИИ и науку крутой, но я не уверен, как это поможет мне лично. То есть, это здорово для исследователей, но что насчет нас, обычных людей? Тем не менее, захватывающе видеть, как ИИ вносит вклад в науку!
El fondo de $20M de Google.org para IA y Ciencia es algo grande. Es genial ver cómo la IA está empujando los límites científicos, especialmente con AlphaFold. Pero, desearía que hubiera más transparencia sobre cómo se están utilizando los fondos. Aún así, es un paso en la dirección correcta!

The recent Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for their work on AlphaFold is a testament to how AI can lead to groundbreaking scientific discoveries. Over 2 million researchers in 190 countries have already tapped into AlphaFold to speed up the battle against malaria, tackle a deadly parasitic disease, and open doors for new Parkinson’s treatments. AI's influence isn't just limited to biology; it's making waves in fields like hydrology, neuroscience, and climate science too.
But to keep pushing the boundaries of science with AI, researchers need more than just good ideas. They need funding, powerful computers, experts from various fields, and access to essential resources like the Protein Data Bank, which was crucial for AlphaFold's success.
That's why, at the first-ever AI for Science Forum, hosted by Google DeepMind and the Royal Society, Google.org announced a hefty $20 million in funding. This cash is aimed at supporting academic and nonprofit groups worldwide that are using AI to tackle tough, multi-disciplinary scientific challenges. We're talking about areas like rare disease research, experimental biology, materials science, and sustainability—all ripe for breakthroughs.
We're teaming up with our own experts at Google DeepMind, Google Research, and other AI teams, plus outside specialists, to pick the right organizations to support. On top of the cash, we're throwing in $2 million in Google Cloud Credits and some free technical know-how from our Googlers.
This new funding adds to the over $200 million Google.org has already given to groups using AI to boost their scientific efforts in the past five years. We've supported projects like Materiom, which is working on new types of plastics, the Women's Cancer Institute (run by Institut Curie) to better detect, treat, and understand women's cancers, and Doctors Without Borders in their fight against antibiotic resistance.
Time and time again, we've seen that when funding, technology, and teamwork come together, amazing scientific discoveries happen. We're hoping this new round of funding will spark more Nobel-worthy achievements that'll make a real difference in people's lives. And we're calling on other funders—philanthropic, public, and private—to join us in investing in long-term, impactful projects that show off AI's power to accelerate science at a digital pace.
Google AI Overviews Gain Ground in Search Results
According to Similarweb’s 2026 Generative AI Landscape report, Google’s AI-generated summaries appeared in 43% of US searches, a significant rise from 15% recorded a year prior.While AI Overviews present generated summaries within standard search res
Sequoia-backed Empirik raises $21M to forecast outages before they strike
Before joining Sequoia Capital in 2020 as chief digital and information officer, Avon Puri spent over a decade running infrastructure at Rubrik and VMware. Three years ago, as large language models began showing their true potential, Puri, alongside
ElevenLabs brings on BlackRock, Jamie Foxx and Longoria as new investors
ElevenLabs, a leader in Voice AI, has announced new participants in its $500 million Series D funding round, initially revealed in February. The investor roster now features major institutions like BlackRock, Wellington, D.E. Shaw, and Schroders, alo
It's great to see Google putting money where their mouth is. But I wonder if this will just end up benefiting big pharma more than the actual researchers in developing countries. Still, AlphaFold is a game-changer. Hope the funds go to open science projects. 🤔
Mind-blowing how AI like AlphaFold is tackling malaria! $20M from Google.org is huge, but I wonder if it’ll spark a race for more AI breakthroughs or just more corporate control? 🤔
Google.orgのAIと科学のための2000万ドルのファンドはクールだけど、個人的にはどう助けてくれるのかわからない。研究者には素晴らしいけど、普通の私たちはどうなの?それでも、科学でAIが違いを生み出すのを見るのはワクワクするよ!
Фонд Google.org в размере 20 миллионов долларов на ИИ и науку крутой, но я не уверен, как это поможет мне лично. То есть, это здорово для исследователей, но что насчет нас, обычных людей? Тем не менее, захватывающе видеть, как ИИ вносит вклад в науку!
El fondo de $20M de Google.org para IA y Ciencia es algo grande. Es genial ver cómo la IA está empujando los límites científicos, especialmente con AlphaFold. Pero, desearía que hubiera más transparencia sobre cómo se están utilizando los fondos. Aún así, es un paso en la dirección correcta!





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