What could have been different about the world for you to succeed in getting a
sustainable AI Safety research career?
If I had had a mentor early on, in the beginning of 2016, that would have been
great. A mentor who has patience for a bungling young person and keeps nudging
them back on the right path. A mentor who has time for a weekly video call. A
mentor who sets the structure for the relationship. Because I wouldn’t have
known what structure is good.
I still don’t know how to find such a person.
Added 2020-04-28: In hindsight, the mentor should have recognized that I lack a foundation of machine learning knowledge. They should have told me to have fun and study whatever AI-related topic I like, with as much backtracking as I like, for one or two years. Rather than trying to do research projects and to get a job. I wish I had that chance again. Following the MIRI Research Guide would have been just the right thing from me. But for some reason I strayed from that path.
What if you got more funding?
More funding would unblock all dependency cycles in the diagram above. This
means that I could continue doing research. Would I do it? I think so,
especially with a collaboration partner as described above. I tend to be
doubtful about what I’m doing, but I also believe that I have something to
contribute to the field. Not raw math power – other people are better at that.
But more on the software development, process, management, people side.
What if you got some sort of productivity coaching?
I don’t think I have a big problem with productivity. Are you asking because I
wrote about dawdling above? I’ve fixed that mostly. And I’m so far not willing
to give up the remaining big time consumers (family, Japanese, weightlifting,
BJJ, sleep).
That said, it’s always helpful to have someone look at what I’m doing and tell
me where I can do better.
What if you had a collaboration partner?
This would help if the person filled in for my weaknesses. Ie. if they knew in
depth about math and ML theory. If they liked to read articles and keep up with
what the field is doing. If they liked to carve out new problems to be solved.
About the research sponsorship:
I’m all for supporting eager people. The tax issues and other formalities can be
sorted out. Whether I would personally start earning to give or have time for
discussions and feedback, I don’t know yet. It depends on what I do next.
Certainly I wouldn’t mind if people ask me for it. I would like to be the kind
of mentor that I wish I had. Of course, I’m still inexperienced, but I think
I could help someone who is where I was four years ago.
I wouldn’t want to evaluate the usefulness of people’s proposals and make
funding decisions. This would require keeping up with current research, which is
something I dislike. Also, I’m already doubting the usefulness of my own
research, so how would I know about others’?
If you need more detail, let me know and I’ll book a time in your Calendly.
If I had had a mentor early on, in the beginning of 2016, that would have been great. A mentor who has patience for a bungling young person and keeps nudging them back on the right path. A mentor who has time for a weekly video call. A mentor who sets the structure for the relationship. Because I wouldn’t have known what structure is good.
I still don’t know how to find such a person.
Added 2020-04-28: In hindsight, the mentor should have recognized that I lack a foundation of machine learning knowledge. They should have told me to have fun and study whatever AI-related topic I like, with as much backtracking as I like, for one or two years. Rather than trying to do research projects and to get a job. I wish I had that chance again. Following the MIRI Research Guide would have been just the right thing from me. But for some reason I strayed from that path.
More funding would unblock all dependency cycles in the diagram above. This means that I could continue doing research. Would I do it? I think so, especially with a collaboration partner as described above. I tend to be doubtful about what I’m doing, but I also believe that I have something to contribute to the field. Not raw math power – other people are better at that. But more on the software development, process, management, people side.
I don’t think I have a big problem with productivity. Are you asking because I wrote about dawdling above? I’ve fixed that mostly. And I’m so far not willing to give up the remaining big time consumers (family, Japanese, weightlifting, BJJ, sleep).
That said, it’s always helpful to have someone look at what I’m doing and tell me where I can do better.
This would help if the person filled in for my weaknesses. Ie. if they knew in depth about math and ML theory. If they liked to read articles and keep up with what the field is doing. If they liked to carve out new problems to be solved.
About the research sponsorship:
I’m all for supporting eager people. The tax issues and other formalities can be sorted out. Whether I would personally start earning to give or have time for discussions and feedback, I don’t know yet. It depends on what I do next. Certainly I wouldn’t mind if people ask me for it. I would like to be the kind of mentor that I wish I had. Of course, I’m still inexperienced, but I think I could help someone who is where I was four years ago.
I wouldn’t want to evaluate the usefulness of people’s proposals and make funding decisions. This would require keeping up with current research, which is something I dislike. Also, I’m already doubting the usefulness of my own research, so how would I know about others’?
If you need more detail, let me know and I’ll book a time in your Calendly.