The Simon Institute for Longterm Governance (SI) is a Swiss think tank based in Geneva that works to foster international cooperation on governing transformative technologies, with a current focus on frontier AI diplomacy. SI conducts research on international AI governance, facilitates exchange between technical and policy communities, and educates diplomats and civil servants about frontier AI's opportunities, risks, and governance solutions. The organization engages directly with the United Nations system and multilateral institutions, translating technical AI developments into actionable policy advice.
The Simon Institute for Longterm Governance (SI) is a Swiss think tank based in Geneva that works to foster international cooperation on governing transformative technologies, with a current focus on frontier AI diplomacy. SI conducts research on international AI governance, facilitates exchange between technical and policy communities, and educates diplomats and civil servants about frontier AI's opportunities, risks, and governance solutions. The organization engages directly with the United Nations system and multilateral institutions, translating technical AI developments into actionable policy advice.
Funding Details
- Annual Budget
- $1,456,000
- Monthly Burn Rate
- $121,333
- Current Runway
- -
- Funding Goal
- -
- Funding Raised to Date
- -
- Fiscal Sponsor
- -
Theory of Change
SI believes that policymaking in national governments and international organizations is the most influential form of explicit value-driven coordination for safeguarding humanity's long-term future. The organization identifies a core problem: policymaking systematically underweights the interests of future generations, and governance structures are not equipped to handle the pace and scale of transformative technology development. SI aims to improve what it calls 'long-term institutional fit' -- the capacity of policy networks to protect humanity's long-term potential -- through three dimensions: changing dominant societal narratives to incorporate future generations, reforming institutions to account for future interests, and ensuring policy agendas address tail risks. Rather than simply providing information, SI equips policy actors with tools to handle information overload and facilitate collective decision-making, building sustained communities of practice. By working at the intersection of the AI technical community and the multilateral governance system, particularly the UN, SI aims to ensure that international governance frameworks for frontier AI are well-informed, practically effective, and account for catastrophic and existential risks.
Grants Received
from Survival and Flourishing Fund
from Open Philanthropy
from Survival and Flourishing Fund
from Survival and Flourishing Fund
Projects– no linked projects
People– no linked people
Discussion
Details
- Last Updated
- Apr 2, 2026, 10:09 PM UTC
- Created
- Mar 18, 2026, 11:18 PM UTC
Case for funding: With rare embedded credibility in UN channels and a track record of inserting x-risk-aware analysis into live multilateral processes (UN existential risk report, Global Digital Compact, International Scientific Panel on AI) while training over 125 UN diplomats and convening commitments ahead of the 2025 AI Action Summit, SI is positioned to shape international norms and coordination on frontier AI where few EA-aligned actors can operate.