I want to flag for Forum readers that I am aware of this post and the associated issues about FTX, EV/CEA, and EA. I have also reached out to Becca directly.
I started in my new role as CEA’s CEO about six weeks ago, and as of the start of this week I’m taking a pre-planned six-week break after a year sprinting in my role as EV US’s CEO[1]. These unusual circumstances mean our plans and timelines are a work in progress (although CEA’s work continues and I continue to be involved in a reduced capacity).
Serious engagement with and communication about questions and concerns related to these issues is (and was already) something I want to prioritize, but I want to wait to publicly discuss my thoughts on these issues until I have the capacity to do so thoroughly and thoughtfully, rather than attempt to respond on the fly. I appreciate people may want more specific details, but I felt that I’d at least respond to let people know I’ve acknowledged the concerns rather than not responding at all in the short-term.
It’s unusual to take significant time off like this immediately after starting a new role, but this is functionally a substitute for me not taking an extended break between roles. For some banal logistical reasons, it made more sense for me to start and then take time off.
but I want to wait to publicly discuss my thoughts on these issues until I have the capacity to do so thoroughly and thoughtfully, rather than attempt to respond on the fly
To be clear, I think it’s still fine to take some time, but it does seem like you made claims that the EA community has engaged in successful investigation and reflection here, and so saying that you want to hold off on engaging unless you can do so “thoroughly and thoughtfully” rings a bit hollow and sounds a bit like avoiding critical conversation while actively trying to spread beliefs this post calls into question (though again, I recognize you have a hard job and I don’t want to be too nitpicky about this, but I do feel like the confluence of releasing an article in a major newspaper combined with saying you want to hold off publicly discussing these issues feels off).
My guess is the timing of Becca’s post is related to your Washington Post article, though that’s really just a random guess.
You don’t deserve negative karma for this comment (was at −1 when I corrected that), but I think it’s fair to recognize that the timing of the op-ed was indirectly dictated by the date Judge Kaplan set for sentencing. Publishing it probably wouldn’t make sense at any other time, so Zach may have been stuck between being rushed into publishing it too early or not responding to the public-interest event at all. Also, it seems unlikely he booked six weeks off right after SBF’s sentencing for that reason.
I’m not opining that I would have published all of the language in the op-ed if I didn’t think I had done enough work to be able to communicate “thoroughly and thoughtfully” to the EA community. But I do feel some sympathy for the position Zach found himself in with respect to a hard external deadline.
Also, it seems unlikely he booked six weeks off right after SBF’s sentencing for that reason.
Totally, to be clear, I think it’s totally fine for Zack to take time off, and wasn’t intending to comment on that at all. I was just responding to the (what I perceived to be a separate thread) of wanting to hold off on engaging until he had formed considered opinions.
Publishing it probably wouldn’t make sense at any other time, so Zach may have been stuck between being rushed into publishing it too early or not responding to the public-interest event at all.
Yeah, agree, that makes sense. I do think it was the wrong call, but I can understand the perceived urgency.
I want to flag for Forum readers that I am aware of this post and the associated issues about FTX, EV/CEA, and EA. I have also reached out to Becca directly.
I started in my new role as CEA’s CEO about six weeks ago, and as of the start of this week I’m taking a pre-planned six-week break after a year sprinting in my role as EV US’s CEO[1]. These unusual circumstances mean our plans and timelines are a work in progress (although CEA’s work continues and I continue to be involved in a reduced capacity).
Serious engagement with and communication about questions and concerns related to these issues is (and was already) something I want to prioritize, but I want to wait to publicly discuss my thoughts on these issues until I have the capacity to do so thoroughly and thoughtfully, rather than attempt to respond on the fly. I appreciate people may want more specific details, but I felt that I’d at least respond to let people know I’ve acknowledged the concerns rather than not responding at all in the short-term.
It’s unusual to take significant time off like this immediately after starting a new role, but this is functionally a substitute for me not taking an extended break between roles. For some banal logistical reasons, it made more sense for me to start and then take time off.
You did speak publicly about them, in a large newspaper nonetheless: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/03/28/sam-bankman-fried-effective-truism-fraud
To be clear, I think it’s still fine to take some time, but it does seem like you made claims that the EA community has engaged in successful investigation and reflection here, and so saying that you want to hold off on engaging unless you can do so “thoroughly and thoughtfully” rings a bit hollow and sounds a bit like avoiding critical conversation while actively trying to spread beliefs this post calls into question (though again, I recognize you have a hard job and I don’t want to be too nitpicky about this, but I do feel like the confluence of releasing an article in a major newspaper combined with saying you want to hold off publicly discussing these issues feels off).
My guess is the timing of Becca’s post is related to your Washington Post article, though that’s really just a random guess.
You don’t deserve negative karma for this comment (was at −1 when I corrected that), but I think it’s fair to recognize that the timing of the op-ed was indirectly dictated by the date Judge Kaplan set for sentencing. Publishing it probably wouldn’t make sense at any other time, so Zach may have been stuck between being rushed into publishing it too early or not responding to the public-interest event at all. Also, it seems unlikely he booked six weeks off right after SBF’s sentencing for that reason.
I’m not opining that I would have published all of the language in the op-ed if I didn’t think I had done enough work to be able to communicate “thoroughly and thoughtfully” to the EA community. But I do feel some sympathy for the position Zach found himself in with respect to a hard external deadline.
Totally, to be clear, I think it’s totally fine for Zack to take time off, and wasn’t intending to comment on that at all. I was just responding to the (what I perceived to be a separate thread) of wanting to hold off on engaging until he had formed considered opinions.
Yeah, agree, that makes sense. I do think it was the wrong call, but I can understand the perceived urgency.