Today Alexis Ohanian, a Robin Hood board member, announced The Legal Aid Society as one of three winners of the AI Poverty Challenge, a national competition to advance effective, responsible, and equitable uses of AI that broaden opportunity and support upward mobility for people living in poverty. Each awardee receives a $1 million grand prize.

“At The Legal Aid Society, we are harnessing the power of technology to break down barriers to justice for every New Yorker, regardless of income,” said Adriene Holder, Chief Attorney of Legal Aid’s Civil Practice. “This incredible award from the AI Poverty Challenge will enable us to expand and refine our AI‐powered Housing Helpline, making legal assistance faster, smarter, and more accessible for those facing housing insecurity.”

“The grant will unlock critical AI infrastructure, including scaling vector databases for legal needs outside of housing, and refining AI models with expert prompt engineering support,” she continued. “By combining cutting‐edge AI with the irreplaceable expertise of our advocates, we’re not just streamlining legal support—we’re transforming how communities access justice. We are honored by this recognition and excited to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation in service of those who need it most.”

“I’m thrilled to celebrate three game‐changing champions, who have literally risen to the challenge, each receiving $1 million to scale their work,” said Alexis Ohanian, Founder of Reddit & Seven Seven Six, and Robin Hood Board Member. “They represent the best and brightest ideas harnessing AI for good.”

The Legal Aid Society’s AI‐powered Housing Helpline Information Retrieval Tool aids attorneys and paralegals by swiftly summarizing vetted information, allowing faster hotline response times, increasing the number of people who can be served, and improving client satisfaction while maintaining human connection and quality control.