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The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's Exploratory Grantmaking in Technology program monitors emerging technology landscapes to identify new sectors, tools, and methods with potential that may not yet receive funding from mainstream sources.
The program has a significant focus on AI in Science, addressing the reproducibility and transparency of machine learning in research, the philosophy of science applications to ML, and the role of foundation models versus traditional machine learning for scientific discovery.
A second focus area, Automation in Science, explores robotics and AI integration to accelerate scientific discovery cycles, particularly in lab and field work automation. The Foundation is particularly interested in concerns about the complexity and opacity of AI-driven research methods and questions about the degree to which AI-generated scientific results can or should be trusted.
This program operates on a rolling basis through letters of inquiry (maximum 2 pages) submitted to the program director.
Unlike the Foundation's separate Human-AI Interaction Research Grants under the Scientific Collaboration subprogram, the Exploratory Grantmaking program specifically targets early-stage investigations of emerging AI technologies in research settings, making it ideal for novel or unconventional projects that larger funders might overlook. The program is led by Joshua M. Greenberg, Program Director.
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Or search similar grants →According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Open to universities, research institutions, and nonprofits. The program is designed for projects exploring emerging AI technologies in research contexts. Applicants should submit a letter of inquiry (maximum 2 pages) to the program email address. International applicants may be considered. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows grants range from approximately $100,000 to $400,000 based on recent awards. Recent examples include $99,916 for an AI conversational agent project, $249,725 for AI adoption across research disciplines, $199,884 for workforce development, and $400,000 for metascience and AI training programs. The foundation awards approximately 200 grants per year totaling roughly $80 million in annual commitments across all programs. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Sloan Foundation Exploratory Grantmaking in Technology for AI in Science and Research Automation is funded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.