I definitely agree that it’s usually not very contributive. But for most people who lived and breathed their personal research area for 5-20 years and just had AI safety explained to them 5-20 minutes ago, finding ways to connect their specialty for AI safety could feel like genuinely wanting to contribute. It’s habitual to take your knowledge and try to make it helpful to the person in front of you, especially in the very first conversation with them about their problem.
I definitely agree that it’s usually not very contributive. But for most people who lived and breathed their personal research area for 5-20 years and just had AI safety explained to them 5-20 minutes ago, finding ways to connect their specialty for AI safety could feel like genuinely wanting to contribute. It’s habitual to take your knowledge and try to make it helpful to the person in front of you, especially in the very first conversation with them about their problem.