Stanford Human-Centered AI (HAI) and Google DeepMind invite computer and management-science researchers worldwide to submit bold ideas on how AI can improve and reimagine organizations, with a specific emphasis on enhancing human collaboration inside organizations (not just individual productivity). Selected teams will partner with Google DeepMind researchers, study real-world impact, co-publish findings, and share their work across multiple platforms.
About the organizers
Stanford HAI advances research, education, and policy to improve the human condition with AI and to shape AI that augments human capabilities. Google DeepMind is a leading AI research organization known for fundamental advances in machine learning and AI for science. Together, they are convening this first-of-its-kind challenge to help the global academic community build the future of organizations.
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Submission Categories
Proposals may be submitted under one of two categories:
- New Approaches – Applied research proposals that introduce interventions using AI capabilities to address real-world organizational challenges. These ideas should be testable through field experiments at Google DeepMind or its partner organizations. Proposals under this category will be evaluated on their potential for measurable, real-world impact.
- New Paradigms – Empirical research proposals that examine foundational questions about how organizations should evolve with AI. These projects are intended to surface new frameworks, mental models, or principles and will be evaluated primarily on the novelty and conceptual significance of their contribution.
Universal Challenges
Proposals under either category should address any or all of the following five universal challenges in organizational life:
- Strategic alignment – enhancing decision-making by clarifying priorities and linking local actions to global goals, without over-reliance on top-down control.
- Coordination – enabling dynamic teaming, clear roles, and seamless cross-boundary collaboration.
- Information flow – moving beyond static reporting to real-time situational awareness.
- Workforce design – integrating human and AI agents into adaptive organizational structures.
- Culture and listening – reinforcing core values, identifying engagement patterns, and promoting healthy collaboration in real time.
How to Apply
The challenge is open to faculty and researchers worldwide. Each submission must list a full-time, tenure-track faculty member as the Primary Investigator (or advisor). Teams may include students but cannot be affiliated with private-sector companies, nor can applicants reside in territories subject to U.S. sanctions.
- Stage 1 – Initial Proposal: A three-page proposal, due by October 24, 2025, 4:00 pm PT. Shortlisted teams will be notified by November 7, 2025.
- Stage 2 – Full Proposal (by invitation): Invited teams will refine their submissions, engage in a virtual pitch day in December 2025, and present at a public conference hosted at Stanford HAI.
Awards & Recognition
Finalists will gain access to a co-hosted platform for sharing their work, invitations to contribute to a special issue of the Journal of Organization Design, and opportunities to present in the “AI for Organizations” webinar series.
Top proposals in each category will receive:
- A research award of up to $100,000 to conduct their study.
- Where relevant, engineering support from Google DeepMind to build and deploy the idea.
- The opportunity to conduct the study at Google DeepMind or with a partner organization.
Launch Events & Contact
Two virtual launch events will be held on August 28, 2025, at 9:00–10:00 am PT and 6:00–7:00 pm PT (registration links available on the challenge page). Recordings will be made publicly accessible.
Applicants can consult the FAQ on the Stanford HAI website before submitting questions to ai-for-organizations@google.com
For more information, visit the link.
