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The Center for Humane Technology (CHT), the nonprofit co-founded by Tristan Harris, is winding down its in-house policy, litigation, research and other programs to focus on founder-led public communication and work with decision-makers. CHT’s board announced the shift on October 1, 2026. WIRED reported on October 8 that nine of CHT’s 16 non-founder employees were departing, but the board did not publish a specific layoff total.
What is changing at the Center for Humane Technology?
CHT says it will concentrate on three activities: public education, targeted briefings for decision-makers, and private coordination. The board describes this as a shift in where the organization puts its attention and resources, rather than a continuation of its previous mix of communications and program work. In its October 1, 2026 strategic update, the board said it would “refocus CHT where we believe it can contribute most: founder-led public communication and decision-maker influence.”
In practice, the board says the organization will wind down in-house research coordination, policy and litigation advisory work, evaluations of AI’s psychosocial impacts, and a planned fellows program. It says CHT will instead use its reach to draw attention to promising work by other organizations in the AI ecosystem.
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What does “founder-led” mean?
CHT’s board says the founders will lead the organization, accompanied by chief of staff Julie Johnston. Co-founder Randy Fernando will serve as interim executive director during the transition. The announced model puts public-facing communication and engagement with influential decision-makers at the center of CHT’s work, rather than maintaining a full internal institute alongside those activities.
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That choice changes the organization’s approach, not just its messaging. Founder-led communications can concentrate leadership attention and make public advocacy more agile. By contrast, research, policy and legal programs can build sustained institutional capacity beyond an individual spokesperson. The board’s update establishes the planned direction; it does not establish how effective either approach will be or how much work will be carried out by outside partners.
How many people are leaving?
WIRED reported on October 8, 2026, that nine people were departing from CHT’s 16 non-founder employees. Its report named executive director Julie Guirado and senior director of strategy Camille Carlton among those leaving. This is WIRED’s reported departure count; the board’s October 1 announcement confirms staff reductions but does not state an exact number of layoffs.
The two accounts describe different things: the board announced reductions in areas being wound down, while WIRED reported a specific number of departures. The available statements do not give CHT’s post-transition headcount or a complete schedule for the changes.
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The board says running a nimble communications operation alongside a full programmatic institute in a small organization created persistent tradeoffs in priorities, messaging, pace, situational analysis and leadership attention. It says the new focus will concentrate talent, funding and leadership attention on capabilities it considers distinctive: communicating to broad audiences and engaging decision-makers.
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WIRED separately reported that 16 former workers described years of internal debate about the organization’s direction and strategy. Those former employees’ accounts are not the same as the board’s explanation. WIRED also reported that board chair Premal Shah disputed some former employees’ characterization of CHT’s culture. Shah told WIRED: “This moment of accelerated AI risk demands we focus on one strategy, and we have chosen to focus on what we have always done best so that we can meet the moment.”
Which programs will end, and what continues?
- In-house work being wound down: Research coordination, policy and litigation advisory work, AI psychosocial-impact evaluations, and the planned fellows program.
- Stop AI Drift: CHT says the campaign will continue through the end of October 2026 to complete a milestone phase.
- Potential independent organization: CHT says an explored organization that might have carried programmatic work forward will not launch.
- Work by others: The board says CHT will use its reach to highlight promising efforts elsewhere in the AI ecosystem.
The board has not published a complete operational schedule or a breakdown of future budget allocations.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What audience figures has CHT cited?
To explain its emphasis on broad communication, CHT’s board cited the following reach figures in its October 1, 2026 update. These are figures reported by CHT, not independently audited metrics in the sources cited here.
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| CHT communication | Reach figure reported by CHT |
|---|---|
| CHT podcast | Over 31 million downloads |
| The Social Dilemma | An estimated 100 million people reached |
| The AI Dilemma talk | 3.6 million views |
| Recent national media appearances by Tristan Harris | Over 40 million people reached |
The board presents these as evidence for prioritizing communication. The figures describe audience reach, not proof that a particular policy or institutional outcome followed.
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