Deadline: November 15, 2025
Applications are open for the CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants 2026. CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants are designed to catalyze new research areas and collaborations in machine learning and its application to different areas of science and society. They invite applications led by researchers in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) whose work addresses the pressing social, ethical and governance considerations of AI safety.
The CAISI Research Program at CIFAR is independently leading Canadian, multidisciplinary research to tackle the safety challenges posed by advanced AI systems. As a core component of the government’s broader Canadian AI Safety Institute, the program leverages Canada’s robust AI research ecosystem to advance critical knowledge.
Funding
- In this call for Projects, funding will be up to $70,000 per year for up to two years. By advancing research in this important and urgent area, they aim to build on Canada’s existing strengths in sociotechnical AI safety research and to bring together researchers from various disciplines and build a community of SSH researchers working on AI safety across Canada.
Eligibility
- Projects can be submitted by 1 or 2 Principal Investigators (PIs)
- PIs must have a faculty affiliation at a Canadian university
- The primary PI must have expertise in SSH, including but not limited to: sociology, political science, economics, history, philosophy/ethics, legal studies, science & technology studies, or media studies
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated by the CAISI Research Council and external experts according to the following criteria:
- Originality and significance of the proposal — 25%
- Potential societal impact of the proposed research — 35%
- Research excellence of the applicants — 15%
- Feasibility of project (timeline, resources available, expertise of team) — 15%
- Multidisciplinarity of the project team (e.g., SSH and technical) — 10%
Application
For more information, visit CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants.
