BLUF:
* To determine whether AI is ‘improving exponentially’, ‘hitting the wall’, or any other claim which involves a quantity or magnitude (e.g. ‘This model was a big leap/small increment’). We need a good y-axis: an interval scale of AI capability which means +1 unit always represents the same degree of ‘how much better’, in the same way +1 degree Celsius is always the same amount of ‘how much hotter’.
* Yet there is no good y-axis for AI capability. All our...
Summary
* The animal welfare movement has already seen an influx in funding and should prepare for the possibility of more.
* The EA Animal Welfare Fund is encouraging those working in animal advocacy to actively set aside time and resources now to concretely plan for scaling sustainably, and we’ll support you in doing that.
* We’re requesting advocates set concrete ambitious goals and submit plans t...
Public service announcement
1. Applications are now open for our first ever round of the Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Program dedicated exclusively to animal welfare. Learn more about what’s different this round here and apply...
Looking for a way to skill-build as a student or young graduate? Consider charity trusteeship!
EAs are often good at maths/technology and less good at leadership and governance skills. This is an excellent match for (non-EA) trustee governance boards, that often have committed older people with good leadership and governance but who struggle with use of tech and maths. There are a lot of trustee vacancies around - highly absorbable - and it's an easy way to get started on tackling real issues with charities big and small!
You can help your charity act more effectively in the world using EA principles and frameworks about effective use of charitable resources, and learn experientially about practical issues than arise with those frameworks when they are implemented. Organisations like the Young Trustees Movement (UK) can mentor and support you, and the other trustees will probably have a lot of sage advice. And while trusteeship is unpaid, it also doesn't *cost* money either, so it's a fairly cheap way to do "EA as a hobby".
The EA community needs more people aged 30+ with genuine commitment and leadership skills, and should encourage people looking for principles-first EA to consider this as a life path in their 20s.
Good shout! And right now at EA Netherlands we're looking for new trustees!