Craig Vachon Joins Human Rights Foundation to Lead Global AI & Freedom Efforts

We’re proud to share that Craig Vachon—a long-standing member of the Santa Cruz Works community and a champion of tech for good—has joined the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) to lead its groundbreaking new initiative: AI for Individual Rights.

Craig Vachon

Launched today, HRF.org/AI is the new digital hub for the foundation’s work at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human freedom. This bold initiative documents and exposes how authoritarian regimes are weaponizing AI to suppress dissent and tighten control. At the same time, it empowers dissidents, journalists, and nonprofits with open-source AI tools that support free expression, secure communication, and faster, more effective organizing.

Craig brings over 15 years of experience to the role, having worked at the intersection of software, AI, and civil liberties. He previously helped lead AnchorFree, whose product Hotspot Shield enabled over 750 million people—many living under dictatorships—to access the free and open Internet. More recently, Craig has advised and invested in AI companies and helped institutions use AI to amplify their impact responsibly and ethically.

His leadership comes at a critical moment. At the upcoming Oslo Freedom Forum in Norway, HRF will debut an entire track focused on AI and individual rights. Topics range from how the Chinese and Iranian governments use AI for surveillance and control to how human rights defenders can use AI to scale their impact. Activists attending the forum will gain hands-on experience with “super-prompts” for AI-assisted publishing, translation, video editing, and even a crash course in “vibecoding”—a fast and accessible approach to AI-assisted coding for resource-strapped nonprofits.

In the months ahead, HRF will expand this work by launching a monthly newsletter, an educational webinar series, a grants program for AI and human rights innovation, and an invitation-only summit to further global collaboration.

We’re thrilled to see a Santa Cruz leader like Craig Vachon step into this global role at a pivotal time. His expertise and passion for technology as a force for liberation make him an ideal fit to drive HRF’s mission forward in the age of AI.

Explore more at HRF.org/AI.