The digital landscape continues to evolve, and artificial intelligence is now a present reality. The Drupal Association is excited to announce a focused approach to AI development within the Drupal ecosystem: the Drupal AI Initiative.
To ensure Drupal AI delivers a significant and strategic impact, we must move beyond traditional volunteer-based contribution models. We need a coordinated, highly dedicated effort to make sure we don’t miss the connection with the market. To build a powerful and competitive AI ecosystem for Drupal aligned with the community’s values, we need a professional team focused exclusively on this task.
Why is this needed?
We are accelerating Drupal AI innovation: Strategic initiatives like the Drupal AI initiative require consistent, dedicated effort that often exceeds the capacity of volunteer contributors.
If we are too slow, if we’re not coordinated, if we cannot ensure quality, Drupal will be left behind. An analogy we’re not used to in the U.S., “we need to take the bullet train, otherwise we will not arrive in time.”
In some ways, Drupal is ahead of many other CMS’s and other platforms. A scattershot approach in this environment will not put and keep Drupal in the lead. Nor will it do it in a manner consistent with our values of openness, innovation, and community benefit.
What are we doing?
The proposed path to success centers on creating a sustainable funding structure that compensates dedicated contributors for their work. This model is designed to attract sponsors by delivering immediate, tangible value through quick feature development and marketing, ultimately creating a self-sustaining cycle of innovation and investment.
The core of the strategy is to fund a team of full-time contributors to accelerate AI innovation within Drupal. Our goal is to secure approximately $400,000 - $500,000 USD each six months to fund a team of four to ten full-time contributors. To do this, we are working to attract 10-25 "Drupal AI Sponsors" with a proposed minimum sponsorship of $10,000 to $20,000, indexed to the size and country of the sponsoring company.
In addition to the financial contribution, Drupal AI Sponsors are expected to:
- Be a Drupal Certified Partner of the Drupal Association,
- Have been actively involved in the DrupalAI ecosystem prior to joining the program,
- Commit 1/2 or one FTE and provide proof of expertise of suggested FTEs, either by showing current contribution to the Drupal AI ecosystem or similar experience,
- Support the Drupal AI strategic roadmap to which your contributor will be directed.
Why are Leading Companies joining?
We’ve more than doubled the sponsoring companies: the five Founders and one Maker announced in June, FreelyGive, Acquia, 1xINTERNET, Dropsolid, Salsa Digital, and amazee.io, are being joined by: ImageX, Axelerant, QED42, Morpht, Joshi Consulting, Elevated Third, Zoocha, and SeeD EM.
These companies know that being part of the Drupal AI Initiative positions them strategically to:
- Win new business by offering cutting-edge AI-powered Drupal solutions.
- Increase visibility and recognition by being recognized as leaders in Drupal AI.
- Drive commercial opportunities, selling AI-driven projects and growing their business.
- Gain early market advantage with priority access to the latest Drupal AI features.
- Move Drupal forward at a faster pace and be part of this epic initiative.
How does it work?
We’re assembling a dedicated team of full-time Drupal AI contributors, funded through sponsorships tailored to your organization's size and region. Our inclusive sponsorship model ensures every company, large or small, can play a role:
- Drupal AI Sponsor (Silver & Gold): Commit funding and dedicated FTE contributors. In return, you receive extensive promotional opportunities, training access, roadmap influence, and market-ready AI tools ahead of your competition.(LINK to tiers and options + contract)
- Drupal AI Supporter: Commit funding with direct promotional benefits and early insight into Drupal AI developments.
This funding program creates a win-win scenario: you invest in Drupal’s AI future, and Drupal invests back in your business growth. Sponsors will also receive:
- Recognition as a Drupal AI Sponsor on the website and in marketing materials,
- Contribution credits,
- Access to all marketing materials for co-branded use,
- Early information about roadmaps and releases,
- Inclusion in the Early Access Program (This is new! More details below),
- Ability to suggest roadmap items, access to leads, and listing Sponsor services on product page available to Gold level sponsors.
What is the Early Access Program?
The Early Access Program is designed to accelerate the development of AI features for Drupal. It provides committed partner companies with early access to new AI capabilities before they are released to the broader Drupal community. This approach helps us innovate faster, deliver immediate value to our partners, and support the health of our community.
Participants of the Drupal AI Initiative will have early access to these specialized features. After a defined period, these features may be released as open-source contributions to the broader community.
Our Commitment to Transparency:
We are committed to transparency throughout this program. The Early Access program is designed to accelerate innovation while ensuring that all final developments eventually become fully available to the broader Drupal community. We will provide regular updates on our progress, keeping the community informed.
Looking Forward: AI That Reflects Our Values
The Early Access program represents a practical evolution of open-source collaboration, one that acknowledges market realities while preserving our core values of openness, innovation, and community benefit. By guiding AI development within the Drupal ecosystem, we ensure these powerful tools enhance human creativity, maintain user agency, and remain safely accessible to all.
The future of Drupal is AI-powered, community-driven, and built on the values that have made us strong.
If your company is interested in participating, please submit the Become an AI Maker form on the Drupal AI page.