The Webmind AI Engine started out within Webmind Inc., a tech start-up company that lived from 1997 to 2001.  Following the demise of Webmind Inc., a number of follow-up projects are being pursued, involving applications of Webmind Inc. technology to particular market niches.  But One might think that a project as important as building real AI would easily achieve substantial funding within industry or academia.  But, though this kind of work is valuable, it will probably never be enough.  In order to really  make the digital mind work, some serious attention needs to be paid to aspects of the AI Engine that will benefit everyone in the long run, but may not make anybody money in the short run.  And that's where the Real AI Institute comes in. 

In the long run, the Webmind Research Institute plans to become self-sustaining by licensing its advanced technology to firms interested in commercializing it in various market niches.

But in the short run, in order to survive we need the donations of forward-thinking people, willing to devote some of their resources to helping us create the next form of intelligence on Earth.

As for mechanics, we are not yet set up to accept donations electronically.  For the moment, therefore, you can support our real AI engineering work the old fashioned way, by mailing a check made out to the Real AI Institute at the following address:

Real AI Institute

145 Bentley Ave.

Jersey City NJ 07304

USA

Finally, one legal note is necessary at this point, relevant only to US residents.  The Real AI Institute is incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the state of Delaware.  However, from a legal perspective, there is further governmental paperwork that must be done in order for there to be a 100% guarantee that donations to the Institute will be considered tax-deductible under US law.  This paperwork is underway, but may well take several months, due to the glacial pace at which the US government proceeds.  Assuming the paperwork goes through successfully, all donations to the Institute will be tax-deductible, including those made  prior to the completion of the paperwork (for example, including those made right now).  Based on input from our legal advisers, we believe that the chance that something goes wrong in this bureaucratic paperwork process is very, very small.  But in the event that something does go wrong, it's possible that donations to the Institute will not be tax-deductible.