AI Safety Camp connects you with interesting collaborators worldwide to discuss and decide on a concrete research proposal, gear up online as a team, and try your hand at AI safety research during intensive coworking sprints.


 
Organizers occasionally reach out to individual subscribers. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails.
By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.
(If you are unable to submit your email address, an add-on like uBlock might be blocking elements – try disabling it and reloading the page.)



Leave your email address above to hear back from us when we open up applications for the next virtual edition.
See details below on our last virtual camp, which took place from mid-January to the end of May 2021.

If we can help you clarify and advance your career goals, we would love to receive your application.

Apply if you want to . . .

  •  connect with insightful and competent individuals dedicated to AI safety.
  •  learn about diverse considerations and broad developments in AI safety.
  •  map and prioritise research questions to work on.
  •  find interested collaborators to work with over the months and years ahead.
  •  be more systematic and productive in developing research as part of a team.
  •  learn what it’s like to do research in a team.
  •  test your personal fit to inform your next career steps.

. . . and you

  •  want to work on the kind of AI safety research that reduces existential risk.
  •  are strong in the skills necessary for the research area you’re interested in (eg. machine learning for technical AI safety research).
    Equivalent to at least an undergraduate degree – includes having researched, written and presented a scientific paper or (Bachelor’s) thesis, or completed any other relevant project of similar size.
  •  work well in a team, remotely and in person.
  •  take initiative; even better if you have leadership experience.
  •  speak and write clearly.
  •  can find problems, analyse them, and generate ideas for solving them.
  •  can write and judge research proposals (we provide guidance in case you don’t know how).
  •  can plan and complete projects.
  •  are available for camp preparation (≧ 7 h/week for 7 weeks), during the weekend sprints (≧ 8 h/d), and afterwards to wrap up the project and at a minimum produce a document explaining what you did (5-15 h).

We’re proudest of those participants who put in the additional time to publish a research paper or high-quality blog post. It’s not a requirement and we won’t evaluate you based on your intentions in that regard.

However, AISC is a large commitment. We expect you to make an effort to produce serious research.

 

Application timeline

15 Nov 2020 00:01 UTC Application form opens. Reviews and interviews start right away.
21 Nov 23:00 UTC Q&A call
02 Dec 11:00 UTC Q&A call
15 Dec 23:59 AoE Application form closes
10 Jan 2021 23:59 AoE Last applicants accepted or declined (most will be informed of our decision earlier)

Program timeline

Participants will propose and collaborate on research projects in teams of three to five. Focused work on research projects makes up the bulk of the program. This is complemented with talks, discussions, and mentoring by more experienced researchers. You will get to work on interesting projects while gaining research skills and knowledge of the field of AI safety.

Our 2021 virtual program is built around online weekends. We expect participants to complete all parts of the program. Most teams continue working after the end of the program, either to finalize and publish their work or to expand it into an ongoing long-term project.
 Update: we rescheduled both the Prioritise Areas and Decide Topics weekend a week later, given higher-than-expected application loads.

Sat – Sun Weekend’s Purpose Activities (read more)
23 – 24 Jan Prioritise areas Ask senior researchers about cruxes. Discuss interests with mentors.
→ Add refined proposal to doc
13 – 14 Feb Decide topics Deliberate written proposals with possible collaborators.
→ Meet with formed team; set roles & check-ins
06 – 07 Mar Sprint:  finish plan Complete planning and literature review.
→ Start research
03 – 04 Apr Sprint:  implement design In the thick of research.
01 – 02 May Sprint:  finalise research Collect results. Consolidate notes.
→ Submit research summary & slides
29 – 30 May Present research &
Plan post-camp steps		 Present results to mentors and curious participants.
Commit team to a write-up. Discuss next career steps.
→ Follow up

Questions?

Check out the FAQ page. You can also contact us at contact@aisafety.camp or schedule a call with any of the organizers.

 

First virtual edition – a spontaneous collage