The AI Lab Epstein Never Funded

On June 25, 2011, Ben Goertzel emailed Epstein with a subject line that read like a confession: "What I'd really like to be doing." Goertzel, an AI researcher running the OpenCog project out of Hong Kong, opened with a greeting: "Hope you enjoyed Africa!! (or are still enjoying it, if you're still there)." Then he pitched. Fifteen people, four years, Hong Kong, nothing but AGI research. Cost: $3 million. "Would you be willing to fund half of this on a 'matching' basis?" he asked. "$3M is so little compared to what the world spends on so much nonsense" (vol00009-efta00628447-pdf-0).

Epstein was already funding a smaller OpenCog effort. A January 2013 calendar entry from Lesley Groff noted: "Reminder: Ben Goertzel around until Jan. 15th" (vol00009-efta00398699-pdf-0). That same month, Goertzel sent Epstein a curated "List of some interesting people" for his network (vol00009-efta00715319-pdf-0). By 2014, Goertzel had co-founded iCog Labs in Addis Ababa with Ethiopian roboticist Getnet Aseffa Gezaw. The lab was seed-funded by Maryland investor Sander Olsen, not Epstein.

On May 14, 2014, a PR Newswire press release went live: "The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation Helps Launch Artificial Intelligence in Ethiopia." Epstein's PR coordinator emailed Tyler Shears, who managed jeffreyepstein.net: "Could you boost the press article below?" (EFTA02583384-0). Shears forwarded the Google Alert to Epstein with one word: "Live" (EFTA01927888-1).

The next day, someone forwarded the press release to Epstein with a single word: "Ethiopia?" Epstein ignored the question entirely. He replied: "when are you next in ny? how was boris?" The answer came back: "Boris is in a rough spot. I am worried for him. I loved seeing him" (EFTA01924912-0, EFTA01924912-1). Boris was Boris Nikolic, the Gates Foundation science advisor later named as backup executor of Epstein's will.

On June 1, the PR writer pitched Forbes: "I would suggest my writing a feature on AI in Ethiopia. I can get more info easily from Ben Goertzel at OpenCog" (EFTA02721744-0). Eleven days later she wrote: "Let's pin down an article topic for Jeffrey by tomorrow. Can I do AI in Ethiopia?" The same email revealed the foundation was setting up "a d/b/a called Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation" and trying to get listed on the Foundation Center (EFTA01918797-0).

By late July, the PR writer told Shears she was "midst article on Seth Lloyd's work" and had "another article ready: AI in Ethiopia." She mentioned Martin Nowak's cooperation research had already been reviewed. The writer asked Shears to "change the word, Addis Ababa Labs for iCog Labs throughout the front page article" and add iCog's mission statement (EFTA01911668-0, EFTA01853459-0).

On August 15, 2014, Goertzel boarded a flight from Washington to Addis Ababa and wrote a lengthy essay on iCog Labs. He sent it to both Epstein and the PR writer. Buried in the middle was a correction: "By the way, technically, Epstein Foundation hasn't actually funded iCog Labs or the OpenCog researchers working there. Epstein Foundation has funded the OpenCog Hong Kong effort, which has been very very very much appreciated; but the $$ provided all went to the Hong Kong effort." iCog Labs, he explained, "was seed-funded by Maryland investor Sander Olsen, and currently is self-supporting based on consulting revenues." Then he added: "NOW, since Jeffrey has been so generous to me over the years, and has also helped with OpenCog HK, I don't mind there being a press release associating Epstein Foundation with iCog Labs. I'm just describing the situation for you in detail so that you can be sure the wording in your article accurately reflects reality" (vol00009-efta00995144-pdf-0).

The PR writer replied: "This is great. Thank you so much. I'll read through everything and get a draft back to you for review. Thank you also for clarifying the funding" (vol00009-efta00693914-pdf-0). She continued drafting the article.

In October, the writer ran into a problem. Goertzel "likes the AI article but too much of a stretch to have Jeffrey's name in the title," she wrote to Shears. The options: "Jeffrey makes a contribution to the AI lab in Ethiopia (they're doing amazing work)" or she would "redraft to 'Jeffrey advances AI in Hong Kong" (EFTA02676867-0). In August 2015, she placed the article in Techonomy. "The Guardian initially wanted this piece but then retracted because they felt the Ethiopian government was too corrupt," she reported. "The BBC also wanted it but was only going to include a small snippet." Goertzel replied: "Looks great! Congrats on the publication, and thanks for getting iCog the publicity, the guys in Addis will be thrilled" (EFTA01745739-0).

The relationship continued. In September 2014, Goertzel pitched Epstein on the YaNetu Intelligent Teaching Tablet, an AI tutoring device for Ethiopian children. "Is there anyone in your circle who would be interested in this sort of investment?" he asked, seeking $75,000 in seed funding (vol00009-efta00869341-pdf-0). In March 2016, Goertzel invited Epstein to visit Ethiopia: "Getnet who runs our AI/robotics lab there can show you around ... He's a lot of fun and also knows everyone in gov't and business there." Epstein replied: "send me some readings that will bring me up to speed on your work" (vol00009-efta00830786-pdf-0).

In July 2016, Goertzel asked if Epstein wanted AGI-16 conference sponsorship listed under "Enhanced Education again?" Epstein answered: "no jeffrey epstein. is enough" (vol00009-efta00671311-pdf-0). That October, Epstein emailed himself a contacts list. "Ben goertzel" appeared in a stream of first names and last names alongside "ehud," "jagland," "boris," "larry summers," "sultan," and "jabor" (HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_026632-0).