to maximise my chance to die with dignity I should quit my job and take out a bunch of loans try to turbo through an advanced degree in machine learning
You don’t have to have a degree in machine learning. Besides machine learning engineering or machine learning research there are plenty of other ways to help reduce existential risk from AI, such as:
software engineering at Redwood Research or Anthropic
Personally, my estimate of the probability of doom is much lower than Eliezer’s, but in any case, I think it’s worthwhile to carefully consider how to maximize your positive impact on the world, whether that involves reducing existential risk from AI or not.
This is probably pretty tangential to the overall point of your post, but you definitely don’t need to take loans for this, since you could apply for funding from Open Philanthropy’s early-career funding for individuals interested in improving the long-term future or the Long-Term Future Fund.
You don’t have to have a degree in machine learning. Besides machine learning engineering or machine learning research there are plenty of other ways to help reduce existential risk from AI, such as:
software engineering at Redwood Research or Anthropic
independent alignment research
operations for Redwood Research, Encultured AI, Stanford Existential Risks Initiative, etc.
community-building work for a local AI safety group (e.g., at MIT or Oxford)
AI governance research
or something part-time like participating in the EA Cambridge AGI Safety Fundamentals program and then facilitating for it
Personally, my estimate of the probability of doom is much lower than Eliezer’s, but in any case, I think it’s worthwhile to carefully consider how to maximize your positive impact on the world, whether that involves reducing existential risk from AI or not.
I’d second the recommendation for applying for career advising from 80,000 Hours or scheduling a call with AI Safety Support if you’re open to working on AI safety.