There's an old Facebook group, New EA hub search and planning, that might be worth reviving in light of the incresed amount of funding coming into the space.
Even with more availability of funding, many talented folks won't get funded or will only recieve small amounts. Establishing new hubs that provide an easier entry-way to being surrounded by community seems like potentially quite high value. After all, it takes a village to raise an EA and being surrounded by others is an accelerator to impact.
Sydney has an AI Safety Hub, but it's far from it's potential. Unfortunately, this isn't anyone's main focus right now.
I'd talk to Yanni who runs TARA. He's running ML bootcamps in a bunch of cities and he's planning to scale this further. The graduates of his program could form the seeds of a new hub.
I think this is a cool idea, esp. re: sharing of resources and I'd be excited to see if your free agent plan works. However, I'm honestly pretty skeptical of your city prioritisation and that dramatically reduces my estimation of the value of this project as far in my books. I expect this would also reduce the chance of the project being funded.
People talk about "democratising" AI. I prefer the term "despotising" AI. That is, uploading the weights on the internet so that despots around the world can download AI to use to oppress their people in a permissionless fashion. Even better (for the despots, at least), it doesn't just provide them with the tools to oppress their population, but it also provides them with an credible excuse to do so. After all, with the right AI tools individuals are more than capable of causing significant harm. The despots don't just get to oppress their populations, they also get to present themselves as heroes for doing so.
Just thought I'd share my essay, which won a runner-up prize in the Manifund Essay Competition on Building the EA/AI Safety Scene in San Francisco with you in case it is of any use (I tried to PM you, but I ran into a bug).
Obviously, take it with a massive grain of salt: 1) I don't live in SF 2) you've actually been running things in SF which is much more informative than just theorising about what should be done like I did with my post 3) The best strategy for you to pursue is highly contingent on your own individual skills and fit.
At AI StopWatch, we typically post between two and five times a day, seven days a week. Every evening, we compile the day’s posts — which are low on jargon, high on water cooler discussability (we hope) — into an email-friendly “Daily Digest,” which we also release as a ~10-20 minute audio podcast a few hours later.
I would guess that would be very resource-intensive. How much FTE staff do you have working on this?
Someone really needs to create a course based on Will's EA in the Age of AGI: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/R8AAG4QBZi5puvogR/effective-altruism-in-the-age-of-agi
Using the term "cult" in in a purported terminology post isn't helpful.
I know it's annoying, but I would have suggested splitting this into two posts, one introducing the terminology in a neutral fashion and another where you use the terminology to make your criticism.
There's an old Facebook group, New EA hub search and planning, that might be worth reviving in light of the incresed amount of funding coming into the space.
Even with more availability of funding, many talented folks won't get funded or will only recieve small amounts. Establishing new hubs that provide an easier entry-way to being surrounded by community seems like potentially quite high value. After all, it takes a village to raise an EA and being surrounded by others is an accelerator to impact.
People talk about "democratising" AI. I prefer the term "despotising" AI. That is, uploading the weights on the internet so that despots around the world can download AI to use to oppress their people in a permissionless fashion. Even better (for the despots, at least), it doesn't just provide them with the tools to oppress their population, but it also provides them with an credible excuse to do so. After all, with the right AI tools individuals are more than capable of causing significant harm. The despots don't just get to oppress their populations, they also get to present themselves as heroes for doing so.
Money can help bootstrap prestige.
Hey Jen,
Just thought I'd share my essay, which won a runner-up prize in the Manifund Essay Competition on Building the EA/AI Safety Scene in San Francisco with you in case it is of any use (I tried to PM you, but I ran into a bug).
Obviously, take it with a massive grain of salt: 1) I don't live in SF 2) you've actually been running things in SF which is much more informative than just theorising about what should be done like I did with my post 3) The best strategy for you to pursue is highly contingent on your own individual skills and fit.
Best,
Chris
I would guess that would be very resource-intensive. How much FTE staff do you have working on this?
Is this US only?
80% chance I can add a few comments if someone produces a draft curriculum. (Alternatively, I might be able to join a call).
Someone really needs to create a course based on Will's EA in the Age of AGI: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/R8AAG4QBZi5puvogR/effective-altruism-in-the-age-of-agi
Using the term "cult" in in a purported terminology post isn't helpful.
I know it's annoying, but I would have suggested splitting this into two posts, one introducing the terminology in a neutral fashion and another where you use the terminology to make your criticism.