Not quite a direct answer to your question, but it is worth noting—not everyone in EA believes that about AI capabilities work. I, for one, believe that working on AI capabilities, especially at a top lab like OpenAI and DeepMind, is a terrible idea and should be front and center on our “List of unethical careers”. Working in safety positions in those labs is still highly useful and impactful imo.
Not quite a direct answer to your question, but it is worth noting—not everyone in EA believes that about AI capabilities work. I, for one, believe that working on AI capabilities, especially at a top lab like OpenAI and DeepMind, is a terrible idea and should be front and center on our “List of unethical careers”. Working in safety positions in those labs is still highly useful and impactful imo.