The Center for Humane Technology is shifting to a founder-led model, resulting in the layoff of half its staff just as it pivots away from policy research and litigation.
The quiet of the office was broken by a sudden, sharp contraction. The Center for Humane Technology. the organization thrust into the spotlight by the documentary The Social Dilemma. is laying off approximately half of its 16 non-founder employees. The move marks a definitive end to the group’s work in policy research and litigation. signaling a shift toward a model centered squarely on its cofounders. including former Google product manager Tristan Harris.
Among the nine departures are executive director Julie Guirado and senior director of strategy Camille Carlton. The timing is jarring: the staff cuts come on the heels of major courtroom successes where the organization’s research proved pivotal in lawsuits alleging social media platforms were designed to addict children. Yet, beneath the veneer of those legal victories, internal friction had been simmering for years.
Sixteen former workers previously described an organization struggling under the weight of its own dual identity. The board eventually concluded that balancing the duties of an advocacy group fronted by Harris with the rigorous demands of a think tank had stretched the team too thin. To regain focus, the center is abandoning its support for litigation and the evaluation of AI tools. Instead. the organization will pursue what it terms “founder-led” projects. leaning into public education. private coordination. and targeted briefings to reach influential decision-makers.
Board chair Premal Shah characterized the decision as a response to the urgency of the current technological landscape. “This moment of accelerated AI risk demands we focus on one strategy. and we have chosen to focus on what we have always done best so that we can meet the moment. ” Shah stated last week.
For Harris, the pivot aligns with his increasingly vocal warnings regarding the risks of advanced artificial intelligence. Having previously cautioned that humanity faces a potential “AI takeover” if software remains unchecked. he recently told a national audience. “We have to act right now before it’s too late.”.
The organization’s footprint remains visible in current events. It has helped organize a Congressional hearing on the dangers of chatbots. encouraged a major petition to pause AI development. and provided advisory support for lawsuits investigating AI labs—including an ongoing case against OpenAI involving the death of a teenager. With Harris appearing in the Netflix release The AI Doc last month to urge Congressional intervention. the group is clearly doubling down on the visibility of its founders as its primary tool for influence.
Center for Humane Technology Tristan Harris layoffs AI safety The Social Dilemma tech policy nonprofit Premal Shah