What Epoch AI does
Epoch AI is a data-first research nonprofit that investigates the future trajectory and societal implications of artificial intelligence. Its stated mission is to help people understand what is happening in AI from a neutral perspective grounded in evidence, by studying AI’s key drivers and bottlenecks, tracking capabilities over time via evaluations and benchmarks, and forecasting downstream impacts on the economy and society. The organization operationalizes this mission through open data programs and benchmarking infrastructure: it curates and analyzes datasets on AI models and infrastructure (including compute, hardware, and data centers), publishes frequent short analyses intended to be accessible and citable, and maintains benchmarking tools and datasets that can be used by researchers, developers, and policymakers. In 2025, Epoch AI reported launching and expanding several major initiatives, including a revamped benchmarking hub and the Epoch Capabilities Index (ECI), completing FrontierMath Tier 4 commissioned by OpenAI, releasing its GATE macroeconomic framework for AI automation effects, and expanding its data-center tracking (including a GPU Clusters Data Explorer and Frontier Data Centers Data Explorer). In addition to open research output, Epoch AI states it offers commissioned research, model evaluations, and consultations for companies, nonprofits, and government bodies, and it maintains a public transparency page listing donations of $70,000+ and certain collaborations/consultations.