The Data Transfer Initiative (DTI) has joined the Open Forum for AI (OFAI), an international initiative focused on advancing human-centered approaches to artificial intelligence (AI). Launched at Carnegie Mellon University in 2024, OFAI convenes academic institutions and nonprofit organizations to foster collaboration, transparency, and inclusion in the development of AI systems.
As a new partner institution, DTI will participate in OFAI’s Data Working Group, which brings together diverse expertise and perspectives to represent a broad range of global stakeholders involved in open AI infrastructure. The Data Working Group provides guidance on how data can be collected, governed, and shared in ways that promote openness while remaining transparent and equitable. Key areas of focus include mapping critical stakeholders in open AI infrastructure, developing policy and governance frameworks for responsible data use, and building partnerships that expand and strengthen the ecosystem of openness in AI.
“We’re excited to welcome the Data Transfer Initiative to the Open Forum for AI,” said Executive Director of OFAI and Associate Dean for Digital Infrastructure at Carnegie Mellon University Libraries Sayeed Choudhury. “DTI’s leadership in advancing data portability and user agency brings an important perspective to OFAI’s growing community. Their expertise will help inform our efforts to ensure that open AI infrastructure supports both innovation and individual empowerment.”
The Data Transfer Initiative is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals through simpler, faster, and more secure data transfers at scale. Born out of the Data Transfer Project, a collaborative open-source effort launched in 2018, DTI develops open-source tools, technical standards, and practical solutions that enable people to move their data between services more easily while strengthening user agency and choice.
“People should have meaningful control over their data, including the ability to move it between services securely and efficiently,” said Chris Riley, executive director of the Data Transfer Initiative. “By joining OFAI, we look forward to collaborating with partners to advance open approaches to data stewardship that promote interoperability, transparency, trust, and user choice in the AI ecosystem.”
The Data Working Group, which DTI joins alongside organizations including the Alliance for Responsible Data Collection (ARDC), Creative Commons, OpenMined, and the Open Source Initiative, contributes technical, policy, and governance expertise to OFAI’s work on an open technology stack for AI. This work includes advising on a curated data layer that is responsibly acquired and hosted on publicly managed infrastructure, such as supercomputing facilities.
DTI’s expertise in data portability and user empowerment will help inform OFAI’s efforts to create more open, interoperable, and accountable approaches to data stewardship. By connecting technical implementation with policy and governance considerations, DTI contributes valuable perspective to discussions about how data can be shared and accessed in ways that benefit both individuals and the broader public interest.
About the Data Transfer Initiative (DTI)
The Data Transfer Initiative (DTI) is a U.S. 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals through data portability at scale. Building on the work of the Data Transfer Project, DTI develops open-source tools, standards, and innovations that enable simpler, faster, and more secure data transfers. DTI also serves as a resource for policymakers and regulators worldwide, helping translate principles into practical solutions that expand user agency and foster a healthy portability ecosystem. https://dtinit.org/
About the Open Forum for AI (OFAI)
Led by Carnegie Mellon University, the Open Forum for AI is an international initiative designed to support responsible and human-centered artificial intelligence. By fostering collaboration across academia, civil society, government, and industry, OFAI seeks to build a more open, inclusive, and accountable AI ecosystem. www.openforumai.org