What do you think about combining teaching and research? Similar to the Humboldt idea of the university, but it wouldn’t have to be as official or large-scale.
When I was studying math in Moscow long ago, I was attending MSU by day, and in the evenings sometimes went to the “Independent University”, which wasn’t really a university. Just a volunteer-run and donation-funded place with some known mathematicians teaching free classes on advanced topics for anyone willing to attend. I think they liked having students to talk about their work. Then much later, when we ran the AI Alignment Prize here on LW, I also noticed that the prize by itself wasn’t too important; the interactions between newcomers and old-timers were a big part of what drove the thing.
So maybe if you’re starting an organization now, it could be worth thinking about this kind of generational mixing, research/teaching/seminars/whatnot. Though there isn’t much of a set curriculum on AI alignment now, and teaching AI capability is maybe not the best idea :-)
Then much later, when we ran the AI Alignment Prize here on LW, I also noticed that the prize by itself wasn’t too important; the interactions between newcomers and old-timers were a big part of what drove the thing.
I mean, one of the participants wrote: “getting comments that engage with what I write and offer a different, interesting perspective can almost be more rewarding than money”. Others asked us for feedback on their non-winning entries. It feels to me that interaction between more and less experienced folks can be really desirable and useful for both, as long as it’s organized to stay within a certain “lane”.
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What do you think about combining teaching and research? Similar to the Humboldt idea of the university, but it wouldn’t have to be as official or large-scale.
When I was studying math in Moscow long ago, I was attending MSU by day, and in the evenings sometimes went to the “Independent University”, which wasn’t really a university. Just a volunteer-run and donation-funded place with some known mathematicians teaching free classes on advanced topics for anyone willing to attend. I think they liked having students to talk about their work. Then much later, when we ran the AI Alignment Prize here on LW, I also noticed that the prize by itself wasn’t too important; the interactions between newcomers and old-timers were a big part of what drove the thing.
So maybe if you’re starting an organization now, it could be worth thinking about this kind of generational mixing, research/teaching/seminars/whatnot. Though there isn’t much of a set curriculum on AI alignment now, and teaching AI capability is maybe not the best idea :-)
Could you provide more detail?
I mean, one of the participants wrote: “getting comments that engage with what I write and offer a different, interesting perspective can almost be more rewarding than money”. Others asked us for feedback on their non-winning entries. It feels to me that interaction between more and less experienced folks can be really desirable and useful for both, as long as it’s organized to stay within a certain “lane”.