Operation HOPE Names Van Jones as Co-Chair of HOPE AI™

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Operation HOPE, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping low- and moderate-income Americans thrive in an ever-changing economy, today announced the appointment of Van Jones – Founder of Dream Machine Innovation Lab, media personality, entrepreneur and best-selling author – as Co-Chair of HOPE AI™, alongside John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE. Following the historic launch of HOPE AI™ last month at the Annual Meeting of the Hope Global Forums in Atlanta, this appointment formalizes the leadership structure of the groundbreaking national initiative designed to expand inclusive financial literacy and artificial intelligence literacy across communities nationwide.

Van Jones brings decades of experience at the intersection of social justice, economic empowerment, technology and innovation, making him uniquely positioned to help guide HOPE AI™ as it scales nationally. As Co-Chairs, Mr. Jones and Mr. Bryant will jointly oversee the vision, strategy, partnerships and national impact of HOPE AI™.

“AI is no longer a future issue. It is here and already shaping jobs, finances and daily life. The real question is whether it widens the gap or helps close it. HOPE AI™ meets people where they are. It provides real tools, real coaching and clear guardrails so everyday Americans can use AI to build stability and opportunity. I am proud to co-chair this effort with John Hope Bryant and Operation HOPE at such a critical moment,” said Mr. Jones.

HOPE AI™ was formally launched through a landmark partnership with some of the nation’s most trusted and impactful nonprofit and corporate leaders, including the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, 100 Black Men of America, UNCF, Shopify (which serves as HOPE AI™’s technology partner), as well as Dream Machine Innovation Lab and Operation HOPE.

“Van Jones is one of the most important voices of our time when it comes to equity, opportunity and innovation,” said Mr. Bryant. “We are so proud to partner with him and Dream Machine Innovation Labs in leading the vision and implementation of HOPE AI™ to ensure that AI becomes a bridge to opportunity for all communities.”

Developed in coordination with the AI Ethics Council (AIEC), HOPE AI™ advances its national strategy through HOPE Inside AI™, which will activate trained AI coaches at more than 1,500 locations nationwide—embedded in banks, schools, churches, employers, and workforce centers—to provide no-cost, in-person or virtual coaching on using AI responsibly for everyday productivity, financial planning, budgeting, and credit-building. In addition, Community AI™ will equip schools, nonprofits, and cities with curated AI tools, templates, and safe-use onboarding and training to help organizations improve their daily operations responsibly and effectively.

About Operation HOPE, Inc.
Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to "silver rights" with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserved—disrupting poverty for millions of low and moderate-income youth and adults across the nation. Through its community uplift model, HOPE Inside, which received the 2016 Innovator of the Year recognition by American Banker magazine, Operation HOPE has served more than 4 million individuals and directed more than $3.2 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communities—turning check-cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners, minimum wage workers into living wage consumers, and uncertain disaster victims into financially empowered disaster survivors. For more information: OperationHOPE.org. Follow the HOPE conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.