Global Institute

for the Learning Society

Combining human and machine learning for AI that truly benefits society. We build bridges between communities, sectors and disciplines to foster co-creation of responsible, robust AI grounded in societal context.

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“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our Mission

Through community-based participatory systems science, GILS serves as a flywheel and hub to build the systems thinking and knowledge production capacity communities need to co-create the AI ecosystem.

Our fate lies in our ability to collaboratively learn in the dynamically complex world we co-create as we strive to survive and thrive.

How We Build a Learning Society

  • Communities choose the problems , opportunities and outcomes that matter most, ensuring solution development aligns with real societal needs.

  • Apply systems thinking to deeply understand interconnected challenges and design more effective solutions.

  • Invest in developing the skills, tools, and infrastructure communities need to lead in responsible AI innovation.

  • Build trust and sustainable progress by balancing the urgency of AI challenges with long-term, community-centered growth.

  • Produce relevant, structured, and legible knowledge that grounds AI in real societal context.

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A stylized, metallic blue gear with interconnected cogs.

  • "To be truly visionary, we have to root our imagination in our concrete reality while simultaneously imagining possibilities beyond that reality"

    Bell Hooks

  • "Be hard on structures, not people”

    John A. Powell

  • "The next Bhudda might be a community"

    Thich Nhat Hanh

A digital illustration of a network with interconnected nodes and links, color spread includes shades of blue and light colors, symbolizing connectivity and data exchange.

UPCOMING EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

November 19, 2025

Oakland Tech Week
Oakland, CA

We’re building AI with communities, not just for them. Come hear how the Global Institute for the Learning Society (GILS) is teaming up with Oakland’s innovators to design fair, transparent AI systems that tackle real issues like housing, health, and education.

Register