What PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence does

PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence is a private, for-profit advisory and research firm founded in 2020 and headquartered in San Rafael, California. It operates as a boutique think tank focused on AI ethics, governance, and the societal implications of augmented intelligence, rather than as a technology product company. Its service portfolio spans six pillars: Advisory, Research, Convening, Publishing, Design, and Development, which are delivered to governments, Fortune 50 enterprises, multilateral forums (World Economic Forum, Club de Madrid), and social-sector organizations.

The firm is built around a senior partner bench led by founder Dr. George A. Tilesch (co-author of "BetweenBrains," 2020) and includes Dr. Olivia Erdelyi, Eszter Debreczeni, Dr. Ferenc Birloni, Dr. Gabor Erdelyi, and Gergely Szertics, with Maria Axente (PwC UK Responsible AI Lead) serving as a formal compeer. Delivery is project-based, sales-led, and executed by senior practitioners rather than through scalable technology; the firm reports 1–10 employees and a distributed international partner presence across New Zealand, Germany, Australia, and Hungary.

There is no evidence of proprietary AI/ML technology, software products, patents, or disclosed funding rounds. Revenue mechanics are consistent with a senior-advisory boutique: short-cycle consulting, retainer advisory, sponsored research, and convening engagements. The absence of disclosed revenue, ARR, headcount growth, or funding signals is a material data gap for investors evaluating scale, churn, and capital intensity.

Name

PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence

Legal name

PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence

Website

https://phi.institute

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence is a San Rafael, California-based AI ethics and governance advisory firm founded in 2020, serving governments, Fortune 50 enterprises, and multilateral forums through six service pillars delivered by a distributed international partner bench.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI Ethics and Governance Advisory

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Responsible AI, AI Governance & Compliance Services (BPAEAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms (HDAAAMAA), Model Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms (HDAAAKAA)

Keywords

• AI ethics consulting
• Responsible AI advisory
• AI policy research
• AI governance strategy
• AI transformation consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Advisory Services: Senior advisory engagements with world leaders in government, business, and impact sectors. These are likely high-value, exclusive consulting engagements.
2. Research Studies: Collaborative research studies with leading organizations on AI-related topics.
3. Publishing: Publishing books that guide and educate on AI future topics, such as the 2020 book 'BetweenBrains: Taking Back our AI Future.'
4. Program Design: Designing programs and solutions that bring about the envisioned AI future for clients.
5. Technology Partnership Development: Partnering to craft AI tech stacks that serve the public interest.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

PHI Institute is a senior advisory and consulting organization that helps world leaders in government, business, and the impact sector adopt responsible, human-centric AI (Augmented Intelligence). Its offerings span six service pillars: Advisory (strategic AI guidance), Research (collaborative AI studies), Convening (co-creation forums with top experts), Publishing (thought-leadership books such as 'BetweenBrains'), Design (AI-ready program and solution design), and Development (public-interest AI tech-stack partnerships).

Product overview

PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence is a consulting and advisory organization that operates as a brain trust, research lab, do-tank, and venture studio focused on responsible AI adoption. The organization offers six integrated service pillars: Advisory (strategic AI guidance for government and business leaders), Research (AI-related research collaboration), Convening (knowledge co-creation formats), Publishing (educational books and materials), Design (AI-ready program development), and Development (public interest-focused AI tech stack creation). The services are designed to help clients navigate AI transformation while maintaining a humanistic, public interest mindset.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advisory Services Provides senior-level AI strategy and transformation guidance to world leaders in government, business, and impact sectors, helping clients navigate complex AI journeys.
• Research Services Collaborates with leading organizations on AI-related research studies to advance responsible AI knowledge and practices.
• Convening Services Gathers top minds to co-create AI-focused solutions through novel convening formats, facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration among senior leaders and experts.
• Publishing Publishes books and educational materials that guide citizens and leaders on taking back their AI Future, including the 2020 book "BetweenBrains: Taking Back our AI Future."
• Design Services Designs programs and solutions that bring about the AI Future envisioned, helping organizations become AI-ready.
• Development Services Partners with organizations to craft AI tech stacks that serve the public interest, focusing on technology solutions aligned with humanistic values.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• McKinsey & Company (QuantumBlack): Global management consulting firm whose QuantumBlack AI practice serves C-suite and government leaders on AI strategy, ethics, and transformation — directly comparable to PHI Institute's senior advisory model, but with vastly greater scale.
• Boston Consulting Group (BCG GAMMA): BCG's GAMMA AI and analytics arm advises Fortune 500 executives and governments on responsible AI adoption, competing for the same senior executive AI advisory mandates as PHI Institute.
• Deloitte (AI Institute): Deloitte's AI Institute provides AI ethics, governance, and policy advisory to enterprises and public sector clients globally — a large-scale direct competitor in responsible AI consulting.
• Ernst & Young (EY) AI and Trusted AI Practice: EY's Trusted AI and responsible AI advisory practice serves enterprise and government clients with AI governance, ethics, and risk frameworks — a major scaled competitor in PHI Institute's niche.
• PwC UK (Responsible AI / AI for Good): PwC UK's Responsible AI team, led by PHI Institute 'compeer' Maria Axente, advises enterprises and governments on AI ethics frameworks — competing for the same mandates with much larger delivery capacity.

Emerging players

• Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI): Academic research and policy institute advancing AI research, education, and policy — comparable in convening power and thought leadership, though operating from a university base rather than as a for-profit.
• The Future of Life Institute: Non-profit focused on steering transformative technology, particularly AI, toward beneficial outcomes — comparable to PHI Institute's public-interest AI mission and policy research orientation.

Broad incumbents

• World Economic Forum (AI Centre of Excellence / AI Governance Alliance): International organization convening governments and enterprises on AI policy and governance — a current client/partner of PHI Institute and a comparable convening/think-tank player in AI policy.
• Accenture (Responsible AI): Global systems integrator and consultancy with a large Responsible AI practice serving enterprises and governments; broader portfolio but overlapping advisory on AI ethics and governance.
• OECD AI Policy Observatory: Intergovernmental policy observatory producing AI policy analysis and standards — comparable to PHI Institute's policy research and advisory work, with a partner (Dr. Olivia Erdélyi) directly contributing to its expert network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence