As a mathematician currently in the middle of this transition (leaving an academic math-phys postdoc for AI safety work), two data points that might be useful here:
Resolution, one of the orgs named above, is a good illustration of the capacity problem on the other side of this: their Learning Theory team isn’t taking new applications right now because they’re overwhelmed by applicant volume and are putting hiring-manager time toward their less developed tracks instead. So the constraint isn’t always “not enough mathematicians are interested”, sometimes it’s “not enough hiring bandwidth to process them for a given subfield right now.”
I’d be curious if anyone here has a view on how ARIA’s mathematical-foundations programme and Vanessa Kosoy’s agenda compare in terms of what kind of mathematical background they actually draw on (learning theory vs. more classical formal-methods territory, say). I’m putting together a short survey of orgs/agendas a theory-leaning mathematician might fit into as I explore my options, and first-hand comparisons would help.
As a mathematician currently in the middle of this transition (leaving an academic math-phys postdoc for AI safety work), two data points that might be useful here:
Resolution, one of the orgs named above, is a good illustration of the capacity problem on the other side of this: their Learning Theory team isn’t taking new applications right now because they’re overwhelmed by applicant volume and are putting hiring-manager time toward their less developed tracks instead. So the constraint isn’t always “not enough mathematicians are interested”, sometimes it’s “not enough hiring bandwidth to process them for a given subfield right now.”
I’d be curious if anyone here has a view on how ARIA’s mathematical-foundations programme and Vanessa Kosoy’s agenda compare in terms of what kind of mathematical background they actually draw on (learning theory vs. more classical formal-methods territory, say). I’m putting together a short survey of orgs/agendas a theory-leaning mathematician might fit into as I explore my options, and first-hand comparisons would help.
Starting a series that goes into math and safety case of theory-first AI safety orgs. From a mathematician pivoting into AI safety. First up, ARC. https://kubuondr.substack.com/p/arcs-research-agenda-solid-mathematics
I would love to see the output of this short survey!