I previously worked as a machine learning scientist but left the industry a couple of years ago to explore other career opportunities. I’m wondering at this point whether or not to consider switching back into the field. In particular, in case I cannot find work related to AI safety, would working on something related to AI capability be a net positive or net negative impact overall?
I think it wouldn’t be controversial to advise you to at least talk to 80,000 hours about this before you do it, as some safety net to not do something you don’t mean to by mistake? Assuming you trust them. Or perhaps ask someone you trust. Or make your own gears-level model. Anyway, seems like an important decision to me
Okay, so I contacted 80,000 hours, as well as some EA friends for advice. Still waiting for their replies.
I did hear from an EA who suggested that if I don’t work on it, someone else who is less EA-aligned will take the position instead, so in fact, it’s slightly net positive for myself to be in the industry, although I’m uncertain whether or not AI capability is actually funding constrained rather than personal constrained.
Also, would it be possible to mitigate the net negative by choosing to deliberately avoid capability research and just take an ML engineering job at a lower tier company that is unlikely to develop AGI before others and just work on applying existing ML tech to solving practical problems?
I previously worked as a machine learning scientist but left the industry a couple of years ago to explore other career opportunities. I’m wondering at this point whether or not to consider switching back into the field. In particular, in case I cannot find work related to AI safety, would working on something related to AI capability be a net positive or net negative impact overall?
Working on AI Capabilities: I think this is net negative, and I’m commenting here so people can [V] if they agree or [X] if they disagree.
Seems like habryka agrees?
Seems like Kaj disagrees?
I think it wouldn’t be controversial to advise you to at least talk to 80,000 hours about this before you do it, as some safety net to not do something you don’t mean to by mistake? Assuming you trust them. Or perhaps ask someone you trust. Or make your own gears-level model. Anyway, seems like an important decision to me
Okay, so I contacted 80,000 hours, as well as some EA friends for advice. Still waiting for their replies.
I did hear from an EA who suggested that if I don’t work on it, someone else who is less EA-aligned will take the position instead, so in fact, it’s slightly net positive for myself to be in the industry, although I’m uncertain whether or not AI capability is actually funding constrained rather than personal constrained.
Also, would it be possible to mitigate the net negative by choosing to deliberately avoid capability research and just take an ML engineering job at a lower tier company that is unlikely to develop AGI before others and just work on applying existing ML tech to solving practical problems?