The name was by analogy to TEDx, yes. MIRI was running official MIRI workshops and we (Scott Garrabrant, me, and a few others) wanted to run similar events independently. We initially called them “mini miri workshops” or something like that, and MIRI got in touch to ask us not to call them that since it insinuates that MIRI is running them. They suggested “MIRIx” instead.
The name was by analogy to TEDx, yes. MIRI was running official MIRI workshops and we (Scott Garrabrant, me, and a few others) wanted to run similar events independently. We initially called them “mini miri workshops” or something like that, and MIRI got in touch to ask us not to call them that since it insinuates that MIRI is running them. They suggested “MIRIx” instead.