Youth-led AI policy advocacy organisation that co-sponsored California's frontier-AI bills.
Encode is a tiny nonprofit started by a teenager that helped write California's first frontier-AI law. OpenAI subpoenaed it during that fight, drawing accusations of intimidation.
Focus
- Transparency
- Safety evaluations
- Liability
- Worker protection
Funding, as far as we know
Philanthropic donations; states it is not funded by Elon Musk; three full-time staff - https://fortune.com/2025/10/10/a-3-person-policy-non-profit-that-worked-on-californias-ai-safety-law-is-publicly-accusing-openai-of-intimidation-tactics
What they've actually done
Filed an amicus brief supporting Musk's effort to block OpenAI's for-profit conversion
30 December 2024
Co-sponsored California SB 53, signed into law September 2025
29 September 2025
Publicly accused OpenAI of intimidation after being subpoenaed for its SB 53 communications
10 October 2025