“Rethinking the Value of Working on AI Safety” by Johan de Kock

Summary EAs seeking to maximize their expected impact should reconsider working on AI safety directly. I am not arguing that working on AI safety is bad, but that we don’t know how effective working in this area might be. Adopting a worldview diversification strategy might offer a more robust approach to address this issue, especially for early-career individuals. In addition to diversifying on a community level, there are two promising pathways to achieve this: pursuing a meta career and earning to give.   Disclaimer: This post challenges widely held beliefs in EA and may feel unsettling. If you're currently facing personal difficulties, consider reading it at another time. The reason I am sharing this post is because I think it might save you many hours, help you realize your mission as an Effective Altruist more effectively, and because I wish someone had shared this with me before I [...] ---Outline:(00:04) Summary(01:06) Introduction(03:21) 1. Complex Cluelessness(04:39) 2. Moral Uncertainty(06:31) How a worldview diversification strategy can address this issue(09:10) What are the practical implications?(10:25) Which of these paths should you pursue?(10:52) Meta Career(11:09) Pros(11:39) Cons(12:19) Specialising in a specific cause (using AI safety as an example )(12:26) Pros(14:15) When you should consider choosing / continuing this path:(14:51) Earning to give(14:55) Pros(15:35) Cons(16:15) When you should consider choosing this path:(17:03) An important consideration(18:09) Final Reflections(19:32) Invitation to a Discussion Session(19:55) AcknowledgementsThe original text contained 8 footnotes which were omitted from this narration. --- First published: January 9th, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/JzjtENwhmchpPjxBv/rethinking-the-value-of-working-on-ai-safety --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.