I’m sad to hear that AISC is lacking in funding and somewhat surprised given that it’s one of the most visible and well-known AI safety programs. Have you tried applying for grant money from Open Philanthropy since it’s the largest AI safety grant-maker?
I have read the posts related to your funding situation, and I still haven’t fully figured out why OF wouldn’t fund you. Would you like to bring light to the reason why, if you know?
Three reasons come to mind why OpenPhil has not funded us.
Their grant programs don’t match, and we have therefore not applied to them.They have fund individuals making early career decisions, our university-based courses, or programs that selectively support “highly talented” young people, or “high quality nuanced” communication. We don’t fit any of those categories.
We did sent in a brief application early 2023 though for a regrant covering our funds from FTX, which was not granted (same happened to at least one other field-building org I’m aware of).
Also, even if we engage i with OpenPhil staff, I heard that another AIS field-building organisation had to make concessions and pick research focusses OpenPhil staff like, in order to ensure they get funding from OpenPhil. Linda and I are not prepared to do that.
I did not improve things by critiquing OpenPhil online for supporting AGI labs. I personally stand by the content of the critiques, but it was also quite in your face, and I can imagine they did not like that.
Whatever I critique about collaborations between longtermist orgs and AGI labs can be associated back to AI Safety Camp is or the area I run at AI Safety Camp. I want to be more mindful how I word my critiques in the future.
Thanks, we’ll give it a go.
Linda is working on sending something in for the “Request for proposals for projects to grow our capacity for reducing global catastrophic risks”
Note though AISC does not really fit OpenPhil’s grant programs because we are not affiliated with a university and because we don’t select heavily on our own conceptions of who are “highly promising young people”.
I’m sad to hear that AISC is lacking in funding and somewhat surprised given that it’s one of the most visible and well-known AI safety programs. Have you tried applying for grant money from Open Philanthropy since it’s the largest AI safety grant-maker?
My current understanding is that OpenPhil is very unlikely to give us money.
I have read the posts related to your funding situation, and I still haven’t fully figured out why OF wouldn’t fund you. Would you like to bring light to the reason why, if you know?
Do you mean OP, as in Open Philanthropy?
Apologies. Yes, I mean Open Philanthropy.
Three reasons come to mind why OpenPhil has not funded us.
Their grant programs don’t match, and we have therefore not applied to them.They have fund individuals making early career decisions, our university-based courses, or programs that selectively support “highly talented” young people, or “high quality nuanced” communication. We don’t fit any of those categories.
We did sent in a brief application early 2023 though for a regrant covering our funds from FTX, which was not granted (same happened to at least one other field-building org I’m aware of).
AISC wasn’t contacted for bespoke grants – given OpenPhil’s fieldbuilding focuses shown above, and focus on technical research, academic programs, and governance organisations for the rest.
Also, even if we engage i with OpenPhil staff, I heard that another AIS field-building organisation had to make concessions and pick research focusses OpenPhil staff like, in order to ensure they get funding from OpenPhil. Linda and I are not prepared to do that.
I did not improve things by critiquing OpenPhil online for supporting AGI labs. I personally stand by the content of the critiques, but it was also quite in your face, and I can imagine they did not like that.
Whatever I critique about collaborations between longtermist orgs and AGI labs can be associated back to AI Safety Camp is or the area I run at AI Safety Camp. I want to be more mindful how I word my critiques in the future.
Does that raise any new questions?
Thanks, we’ll give it a go. Linda is working on sending something in for the “Request for proposals for projects to grow our capacity for reducing global catastrophic risks”
Note though AISC does not really fit OpenPhil’s grant programs because we are not affiliated with a university and because we don’t select heavily on our own conceptions of who are “highly promising young people”.