Author Archive:
Rhodri Davies
Artificial intelligence is coming for philanthropy
You probably feel like you have heard a lot recently about artificial intelligence, like ChatGPT – the powerful chatbot from OpenAI that has gained 100 million users since its launch in November 2022, and which …
Effectively over: What Does Sam Bankman-Fried’s downfall mean for philanthropy and Effective Altruism?
Last week offered a rare opportunity to watch one of the world’s biggest philanthropists self-combust in real time. The spectacular downfall of crypto-billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried (commonly known as SBF) and his cryptocurrency exchange FTX resulted …
White Philanthropy: Carnegie Corporation’s ‘An American Dilemma’ and the making of a white world order
Reviewed by Rhodri Davies, founder of Philanthropy Matters Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 many organisations and institutions, including foundations and charities, declared their support for the aims of the Black Lives Matter …
What could Elon Musk’s Twitter bid mean for philanthropy?
Elon Musk’s penchant for publicity stunts, deliberately provocative statements and picking fights has made him a magnet for media attention. Things stepped up a notch further recently following the announcement that he is to buy …
What’s ahead? Predictions for philanthropy in 2022 and beyond
It feels, right now, as if the only real certainty is uncertainty. But this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to think about the future. Once we abandon the idea of rigid predictions and focus instead …
The ethics of platform philanthropy
In a recent interview for the new Centre on Strategic Philanthropy at Cambridge Judge Business School, Bill Gates identified the growth and democratisation of giving through online platforms as one of the key trends that …
The history of philanthropy & social movements for diversity, equity and inclusion
In recent weeks, the tragic killing of George Floyd and the subsequent wave of protest around the globe has brought the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement back to the forefront of public and political attention. …
Bezos’ $10bn donation should not pitch philanthropy and taxation against each other – that would be a zero-sum game
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ recent major foray into philanthropy came with the announcement that he is going to commit $10 billion to combat the global climate crisis. The world’s richest man has previously been criticised …
Riding the tiger of technological change
Philanthropy support organizations have a vital role in ensuring that disruptive technology leads to change for the better Technology is opening up new opportunities to empower marginalized and disenfranchised communities around the world, and new …
Philanthropy should fund the media for its own sake
Many are starting to ask whether general support for journalism as an end in itself should constitute a valid focus of philanthropy; given the recently renewed acceptance of the idea that news gathering and reporting …
