Joseph Gordon-Levitt's collaborative media platform, which established a dedicated AI safety arm (HitRecord AI Safety Project LLC and AI Safety Digital Media Fund) to use storytelling and public engagement to address AI risks.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt's collaborative media platform, which established a dedicated AI safety arm (HitRecord AI Safety Project LLC and AI Safety Digital Media Fund) to use storytelling and public engagement to address AI risks.
People
Updated 05/18/26Co-founder
Funding Details
Updated 05/18/26- Annual Budget
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Org Details
Updated 05/18/26HitRecord was founded in 2004-2005 by actor and filmmaker Joseph Gordon-Levitt and his brother Dan Gordon-Levitt as an online creative collaboration platform. It publicly launched in January 2010 at the Sundance Film Festival, growing into a community of over 750,000 artists from around the world who collaborate on films, music, writing, and other media projects. When projects generate revenue, profits are split 50/50 between HitRecord and contributing artists. The platform has produced Emmy-winning shows including HitRecord on TV (2014-2015) and Create Together (2020), and Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut Don Jon. In 2019, HitRecord raised $6.4 million in Series A funding from Javelin Venture Partners, Crosslink Capital, and Advancit Capital. In 2022, key team members including Gordon-Levitt joined MasterClass as the company wound down its educational video offerings, though the HitRecord community platform continued to operate. In 2024, HitRecord established the HitRecord AI Safety Project LLC (filed May 24, 2024, in Delaware) and the HitRecord AI Safety Digital Media Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 39-2390479). Through the SFF Initiative Committee 2024, Jaan Tallinn awarded the AI Safety Project LLC two grants totaling $1.2 million ($700,000 and $500,000) for general support. Gordon-Levitt has become one of the most prominent public figures advocating for AI safety and regulation. He spoke at EA Global in 2017, signed the Statement on Superintelligence (October 2025), co-founded the Creators Coalition on AI (December 2025), testified before the Utah legislature in support of AI transparency legislation (January 2026), and was appointed the UN's first Global Advocate for Human-centric Digital Governance (March 2026). He joined the RadicalxChange Foundation board in March 2025 and is directing a Netflix AI thriller with Rachel McAdams. His advocacy focuses on AI transparency, creator compensation, child safety from AI, and preventing the development of uncontrolled superintelligence.
Theory of Change
Updated 05/18/26HitRecord's AI safety work operates on the theory that public awareness, storytelling, and cultural engagement are critical levers for AI safety outcomes. By leveraging Joseph Gordon-Levitt's celebrity platform and HitRecord's media production capabilities, the organization aims to translate complex AI safety concerns into accessible public narratives that build broad support for AI regulation. The causal chain runs from media production and public advocacy to increased public understanding of AI risks, which in turn creates political will for AI safety legislation and corporate accountability. This approach complements technical AI safety research by addressing the demand side of the equation: ensuring that democratic publics and policymakers understand and act on AI risks, including existential risks from superintelligence.
Grants Received
Updated 05/18/26Projects
Updated 05/18/26
A HitRecord-branded AI safety digital media fund that partners with social media creators to spread research-backed messages about AI safety through native online content.
A HitRecord-affiliated entity created in 2024 to pursue AI-focused work, using the platform’s collaborative media model to explore ethical applications of AI in creative projects.
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