Introducing EA Tech Network

Tl;dr we're a group of organizers of EA chapters at tech companies. If you work in tech and are interested in community organizing, or have input on how we can run this, we're open to it. PM me for an invite to the Slack.

Context

There's an EA chapter at Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, etc. It makes sense for the group organizers to collaborate. We can share knowledge, and specialize/delegate on different initiatives, which is cost-effective. We started this collaboration earlier this year.

We're partnered with High Impact Professionals (their intro post here). We roughly model ourselves after the EA Consulting Network (who have shared their learnings here). 

What we've done

• Rally EA's interested in community building at different tech companies. We have a Slack with monthly syncs.
• Try to build the "landscape" of EA chapters at different tech companies
  • Eg Microsoft has a long-standing one and great giving culture
  • Google, Meta have chapters with moderate, regular turnout
  • We have individuals at Tesla, Bloomberg who are interested in kicking off theirs
• Host a talk with Jack Lewars. Why broadcast separately to multiple companies when you can do all at once?

What we're planning to do

• Meetup at EAG London! If you want to be a part of this, we're having an unofficial gathering at the All Bar One (very close to the conference) at April 15, 5-7PM GMT. Message me, reachout on Swapcard, etc to be looped in
• Starting a monthly newsletter (Google's already on this).
  • Doesn't have to be that distinct from existing EA/GWWC newsletters, plus a little company/tech-specific pointers
  • Can track # of subscribers and maybe link clicks - might be a measure of impact eg if we see numbers tick up after a guest speaker.
• Running surveys (in a standardized way) to measure member engagement, impact we may have through our events
• Build a "starter kit" for individuals at other tech companies looking to start their own chapter.
  • Still trying to figure out the best idea for this: giving games talks, the newsletter idea can be lightweight for engagement, etc. Basically templating a lot of work so it can be picked up easily.
• Spread the word. If there's more corporate organizers, or individuals at tech companies interested in starting something, reach out or join the Slack and introduce yourself! And similarly, if you're joining XYZ tech company and want to know if there's a chapter at yours, we should have some way of finding the POC's at different tech companies, like the EA Groups Hub.

What we might do

These are some ideas of what could be done in a future with active EA's in tech companies, in order from realistic to moonshot, in my opinion.

• Plan of succession: in case the core organizers of a corporate chapter leave, it can help to direct newcomers who want to pick up the mantle to EATN
• Matchmake talent. There's a line we have to toe carefully when it comes to encouraging employees of a company to leave and directly work for EA orgs. EACN does this informally: a list of people who might be open, and connecting them to listings on the 80K job board, but personally.
• Change company policy.
  • Meta doesn't have donation matching, when all its peer companies seem to. We can at least try (or share that it hasn't worked for us s0 far).
  • Microsoft seems to have a great culture of giving - they have Giving Coordinators (not EA-aligned, just volunteers) who help direct donations to certain causes. It's an awesome norm we might hope to spread
• Change company products.
  • Eg Facebook has fundraisers, what if we directed people to this 100x more effective charity (not likely, from my inside view)
  • Eg maybe aligning Recommender Systems is a worthwhile AI Safety cause area?

How you can help

• If you'd like to be in the loop, PM me and I’ll add you to the Slack
• If you have ideas on other forms of community organizing, we'd love to hear them