5 Ways Cooperatives Can Shape the Future of AI.

The article focuses on how cooperatives can influence the future of artificial intelligence (AI) by offering a more inclusive, democratically governed alternative to the dominance of large tech corporations. It outlines five key interventions cooperatives can make: democratizing data governance, bridging research with civil society, advancing education, building alternative ownership models, and adapting AI to cooperative goals. Examples such as the Swiss health-data cooperative MIDATA and the European AI cooperative READ-COOP demonstrate how cooperative principles—voluntary membership, democratic control, and concern for community—can lead to more equitable, transparent, and accountable AI systems. Despite challenges like limited capital and infrastructure, the article argues that cooperatives’ collective ownership and governance structures could reshape AI development toward public benefit and long-term stability.