FAQs

  • We believe that recent changes in the AI landscape merit a greater focus on mitigating catastrophic risks ensuing from advanced AI. Many believed that advanced AI was decades away, but the unexpected pace of recent developments (much faster than progress in understanding how to build safe AI) has led experts to think it could arrive much sooner. At the same time, the arguments for thinking that advanced AI could pose catastrophic risks have been refined. Since the deployment of ChatGPT, many high-profile AI researchers, academics and policymakers have spoken about their concerns and are motivated to take AI and its risks seriously. Additionally, recent years have seen greater convergence in relevant research communities on what might be robust interventions in the AI catastrophic risk space (e.g., safety evaluations, licensing schemes, tort law, and comprehensive compute governance). This provides a fertile starting point for fellows to explore and contribute specific insights and proposals to reduce AI risk.

    Although AI risk is increasingly in the news, this hasn’t yet translated into a comparable increase in the number of people working on reducing AI risk. Therefore, fellows might be surprised by how useful their contributions can be.

  • The application will ask for project ideas, but applicants don’t need to have a specific project in mind to apply and they won’t be asked to pursue the plans suggested on their application.

    We will encourage fellows to pursue projects suggested by our network of experts.

  • Activities will be in English by default, so a fluid level of English is required. No level of Spanish is needed.

  • Participants will be required to move to Mexico City for the program. Our staff will guide you through the process and you will receive a relocation stipend. Fellows are expected to find their accommodation and the fellowship stipend will be enough to cover housing costs.

  • No, all disciplines are welcome.

  • We don’t expect fellows to have expertise in any particular field; we are more interested in how you approach problems. We aim to build a cohort with many different skills, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

  • Alongside personalized mentorship, we strive to provide our fellows with a vibrant intellectual community and an opportunity to experience firsthand what working in this subject matter looks like. With this goal in mind, some of our collaborators and other guests will join us at Haab Project. Although these visitors will be working on their own projects, some of them will offer talks and workshops. We anticipate that being surrounded by senior people working in this field will benefit the fellows’ projects and professional development.

  • Yes. If you want to mentor fellows or visit Mexico City to enrich the fellows’ experience, fill out this form.