The Bay is a major hub because of the founders’ effects—several historically important founding communities and organisations of the EA movement were founded and continue to be based here. This includes rationalist organisations like LessWrong, CFAR and MIRI in Berkeley, and separately GiveWell in San Francisco.
I think of these only CFAR was founded in the Bay? GiveWell was founded in NYC, MIRI (then SIAI) in (I think) Georgia, and LW as a remote collaboration.
Since GiveWell and MIRI moved to be closer to their funders we could call this “funders’ effects” ;)
Also, the Bay Area is probably the top metro area in the world for AI capabilities R&D (because of Google, OpenAI, Meta, various ex-Brain startups, Stanford, Berkeley). So if starting from scratch, there’d be a good reason to put AI Safety orgs there.
Good post! A nit:
I think of these only CFAR was founded in the Bay? GiveWell was founded in NYC, MIRI (then SIAI) in (I think) Georgia, and LW as a remote collaboration.
Since GiveWell and MIRI moved to be closer to their funders we could call this “funders’ effects” ;)
Also, the Bay Area is probably the top metro area in the world for AI capabilities R&D (because of Google, OpenAI, Meta, various ex-Brain startups, Stanford, Berkeley). So if starting from scratch, there’d be a good reason to put AI Safety orgs there.
Good point! I expect it would have ended up as the main AI hub even if MIRI hadn’t moved there.
Ooh a fun history less! Thanks! I’ll edit it :)
Thanks for that context Jeff!