Google Chairman Eric Schmidt announced he will donate $1 million in grants to help solve major world problems through technology.
Schmidt spoke with CBS about his search for organizations using innovation to combat global issues, according to TechCrunch.
"I think I should put my money where my mouth is," Schmidt said. "We identified a whole bunch of companies all over the world trying to solve oppressive censorship, empower individuals, and make these phones more useful."
Schmidt's objective is the theme of his best-selling book "The New Digital Age: Transforming Nations, Businesses, and Our Lives," CBS News reported. Schmidt co-wrote the book with Jared Cohen, with whom Schmidt discusses ideas about the future of technology in different forms. The book is set to be released in paperback next week.
Cohen stated the future will be difficult for dictators and tyrants due to the spread of technology giving the public more power, according to CBS News.
"They're going to be significantly outnumbered," Cohen said. "Ukraine is an example. Venezuela is an example. We've now moved beyond just the Arab Spring. As billions of people come online, most of these people come online in parts of the world that have autocratic governments. And they're going to be the largest demographic in the world armed with mobile devices and savvy young populations."
"We forget how many billions of people there are that work in places that don't have the liberties of America," Schmidt said. "They want them too, and they're going to use their phones to get them."
There are many companies that develop technology used to fight corruption and oppression, TechCrunch reported. One of these organizations, Benetech, can convict dictators of their crimes by using statistical algorithms to find proof. The U.S. State department has promoted technology used by those who fight government crack-downs on the Internet.
Details about the companies Schmidt will donate grants to will be revealed on Mar. 10, according to TechCrunch.
