Dear MAIEI Community,
The past few months have been a time of profound loss and reflection for all of us at the Montreal AI Ethics Institute (MAIEI). On September 30, we lost our dear friend and founder, Abhishek Gupta. His vision, brilliance, and tireless dedication to fostering AI ethics and responsible AI shaped MAIEI into what it is today and has inspired countless individuals worldwide.
As the co-founder of MAIEI, I want to share some reflections and outline a path forward to ensure that Abhishek’s legacy continues to live on.
A Personal Journey with Abhishek
Abhishek and I first met in early 2017, when I was Associate Director of the Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship at McGill University. He sought advice on funding his vision for an AI ethics community in Montreal. My advice was simple: build a startup organization around the community, and the resources will follow. That conversation planted the seed for MAIEI.
Abhishek and I quickly became close friends, bonding over coffees, meals, and deep discussions about technology and the future of a society increasingly driven by algorithms. Inspired by his meetups, I registered the montrealethics.ai domain in May 2018, and together, we outlined the foundation of what would become a pioneering institution in AI ethics. Within a month, MAIEI received its first public mention in the Stanford Social Innovation Review with the publication of “Artificial Intelligence as a Force for Good.” From there, Abhishek’s groundbreaking work, including “The Imperative for Sustainable AI Systems“ (winner of The Gradient Prize in 2021), helped MAIEI grow into a global hub for AI ethics research and collaboration.
Abhishek was the heart and public face of MAIEI, while I focused on operations, fundraising, and partnerships behind the scenes. His work continues to guide us today.
Stepping into a Leadership Role
As co-founders, we complemented each other: he was the visionary thought leader, and I focused on building the infrastructure to help MAIEI grow.
Over the past few months since his passing, I’ve reflected deeply, consulted with close friends, colleagues, and advisors, and met with our small but dedicated team. In moments of grief, closing MAIEI felt like the most straightforward option, but I quickly realized that the work we’ve built and the global community we’ve fostered over the past seven years are far too important to let go.
Abhishek’s loss is immeasurable.
My goal is not to fill Abhishek’s shoes but to honour his legacy by stewarding MAIEI into its next chapter. This includes building a financially sustainable organization, expanding our reach, and ensuring the institute’s long-term resilience.
Carrying Forward Abhishek’s Vision
Here’s how we plan to move forward:
- Growing Our Impact: We will continue publishing The AI Ethics Brief bi-weekly, starting December 10. With over 15,000 subscribers, our goal is to reach 100,000 and beyond, building a platform for cutting-edge research and impactful narratives that advance our mission of democratizing AI ethics literacy.
- Strengthening Our Community: If you’ve contributed to MAIEI in the past, we’d love to hear from you. Whether it’s sharing updates on your work, new research, or opportunities to collaborate, your involvement is more important than ever. Please get in touch with us here.
- Honouring Abhishek’s Legacy: We are working on plans for a memorial scholarship or seminar series at McGill University, his alma mater. This initiative will inspire future leaders in AI ethics and commemorate Abhishek’s extraordinary contributions. Read my remarks from the Montreal Startup Community Awards here.
- Ensuring Sustainability and Growth: We are laying the foundation to build MAIEI into a fully functioning institute with paid staff, researchers, and funded projects—ensuring the organization’s resilience for generations to come.
A Call to Action
We cannot achieve these goals without your support. Here’s how you can help:
- Subscribe: Become a paid subscriber to The AI Ethics Brief on Substack.
- Contribute: Share your expertise, research, or ideas to help shape the future of AI ethics. Please get in touch with us here.
- Support: Make a financial donation or explore corporate sponsorship opportunities.
Your support will help carry forward Abhishek’s vision and ensure MAIEI remains a leader in making AI ethics accessible, inclusive, and impactful.
Thank you for being part of this journey. A memorial for Abhishek is being planned in Montreal for January 2025, with details to follow.
Together, we can build on this foundation and continue shaping the future of AI ethics.
Sincerely,
Renjie Butalid
Co-founder & Director
Montreal AI Ethics Institute
Read: Honouring Abhishek Gupta at the Montreal Startup Community Awards 2024