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Bio
Participation1
Theoretical Computer Science Msc student at the University of [Redacted] in the United Kingdom.
I'm an aspiring alignment theorist; my research vibes are descriptive formal theories of intelligent systems (and their safety properties) with a bias towards constructive theories.
I think it's important that our theories of intelligent systems remain rooted in the characteristics of real world intelligent systems; we cannot develop adequate theory from the null string as input.
How others can help me
I'm looking for UK based organisations that would accept students for a 30+ week placement (starting June to September) to do theoretical AI Safety research.
How I can help others
Reach out to me about AI existential safety. I'm willing to discuss, brainstorm, review and pick holes in ideas, etc.
Posts 19
Comments69
I notice that I am surprised and confused.
I'd have expected Holden to contribute much more to AI existential safety as CEO of Open Philanthropy (career capital, comparative advantage, specialisation, etc.) than via direct work.
I don't really know what to make of this.
That said, it sounds like you've given this a lot of deliberation and have a clear plan/course of action.
I'm excited about your endeavours in the project!
What are those reasons, please?
I guess I don't understand how slow takeoff can happen without economic consequences.
Like takeoff (in capabilities progress) may still be slow, but the impact of AI is more likely to be discontinuous in that case.
I was probably insufficiently clear on that point.
I liked this apology.
You're welcome.
Happy to be useful!
Your claim that "blacks are less intelligent.." is pretty much as widely discredited as Holocaust denial (2), supported with as sparse evidence as the latter.
I think this is completely wrong as an empirical statement. The claim may very well be false, but the evidence supporting it isn't as tenuous as the evidence supporting Holocaust denial.
Strongly upvoted.
I endorse basically everything here.
In general, I'm very unconvinced that raising EA bureaucracy and more democratically driven funding/impact decisions would be net positive.
OP does not speak for all of us, or really anyone except for himself.
This is very true, thanks for speaking up.
(I never intended to speak for all black EAs.)
For context, I'm black (Nigerian in the UK).
I'm just going to express my honest opinions here:
The events of the last 48 hours (slightly) raised my opinion of Nick Bostrom. I was very relieved that Bostrom did not compromise his epistemic integrity by expressing more socially palatable views that are contrary to those he actually holds.
I think it would be quite tragic to compromise honestly/accurately reporting our beliefs when the situation calls for it to fit in better. I'm very glad Bostrom did not do that.
As for the contents of the email itself, while very untasteful, they were sent in a particular context to be deliberately offensive and Bostrom did regret it and apologise for it at the time. I don't think it's useful/valuable to judge him on the basis of an email he sent a few decades ago as a student. The Bostrom that sent the email did not reflectively endorse its contents, and current Bostrom does not either.
I'm not interested in a discussion on race & IQ, so I deliberately avoided addressing that.