DOWNLOAD FULL PDF Mind the Gap: Foundation Models and the Covert Proliferation of Military Intelligence, Surveillance, and Targeting examines urgent national security risks posed by AI systems used in military contexts. The paper finds that while the policy discussion about AI and national security has largely focused on the risks of AI serving to proliferate […].
In short: Building weighted factor models using a regular weighted average (“weighted arithmetic mean”) allows high values in one factor to compensate for very low values or a zero in another. This poorly reflects the multiplicative nature of many impact-oriented weighted factor models. Using the weighted geometric mean avoids this issue by penalising low values more strongly.
On turning 30 in a human challenge trial ward.
Summary: If we validate automated alignment research through empirical testing, the safety assurance work will still need to be done by humans, and will be similar to that needed for human-written alignment algorithms. Three levels of automated AI safety. Automating AI safety means developing some algorithm which takes in data and outputs safe, highly-capable AI systems.
Animals Aotearoa is a registered charity run based on effective altruism principles. Our goal is to secure commitments from food businesses to make changes in line with the Better Chicken Commitment and to raise public awareness of the welfare issues associated with the breed, stocking density, living environment, and slaughter of chickens bred for meat. We are looking for skilled generalists...
Monday, October 21
Neglecting an important concept
The Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity co-hosted a panel on the crucial role of cybersecurity in supporting the transition toward clean energy. Whether the United States and other countries…. The post Cybersecurity and the Clean Energy Transition appeared first on CLTC.
If not, name three of them!
A new report sheds light on what farmers care about, worry about, and see as an opportunity to improve their business when it comes to cultured meat production. The post Report: Culture Clash? What cultured meat could mean for UK farming appeared first on New Harvest.
This article proposes a framework to help researchers develop rodent contraceptives and lists the key steps to follow. The post Non-Lethal Regulation: A Guide To Developing Rodent Contraceptives appeared first on Faunalytics.
In December 2023, CLTC opened a special Call for Papers (CFP) to support Public Interest Cybersecurity research that will increase the body of empirical knowledge about cybersecurity for…. The post CLTC Publishes Series of Public Interest Cybersecurity Research Papers appeared first on CLTC.
Experts fear OpenAI’s conversion to a for-profit might not adequately compensate its charitable arm...
Some rough ideas
Will UX innovations be just as important as research innovations?
Greetings from a world where…...
Tax farming is the practice of licensing tax collection to private contractors. Used heavily in ancient Rome, it’s largely fallen out of practice because of the obvious conflict of interest between the state and the contractor. Because tax farmers are primarily interested in short-term revenue, they have no problem abusing taxpayers and making things worse for them in the long term.
We are glad to announce the release of biosecurity.world! Your new go-to website for navigating the biosecurity landscape and finding relevant organizations worldwide... . The biosecurity.world database, in a view structured around the types of activities... . Objective & Target Audience.
Every third child is lead-poisoned. We can change that. View this email in your browser
Hello! Our favourite links this month include:
Reporting on Open Philanthropy’s new partnership for a lead-free future. Posts from the EA Forum’s Animal Welfare vs Global Health Debate Week.
Who gives and receives foreign aid? Which forms does it take? What are examples of when it was (un-)successful?
Discuss...
Sunday, October 20
Vehicles like cars, planes, and boats generally need a) an engine to push them forward, b) steering to direct their motions, and c) a driver to manage both.
this week in security — october 20 edition
Anonymous Sudan arrested, US charges SEC's X hacker, Microsoft loses security logs, and more. ~this week in security~. a cybersecurity newsletter by @zackwhittaker
volume 7, issue 39
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THIS WEEK, TL;DR. U.S. charges Sudanese men with running powerful DDoS-for-hire gang...
Crossposting this essay by my friend Gavriel Kleinwaks, who is approximately the world expert in Far UV deployment. [Edit: Austin is very kind--I am not close to being the world expert in far UV deployment; there are people who run/used to run companies trying to do that, and researchers who work with them very closely, who know more about far-UV deployment, and I'm largely consolidating...
Your Mileage May Vary is an advice column offering you a new framework for thinking through your ethical dilemmas and philosophical questions. This unconventional column is based on value pluralism — the idea that each of us has multiple values that are equally valid but that often conflict with each other. Here is a Vox reader’s question, […]...
~5 months I formally quit EA (formally here means “I made an announcement on Facebook”). My friend Timothy was very curious as to why; I felt my reasons applied to him as well. This disagreement eventually led to a podcast episode, where he and I try convince each other to change sides on Effective Altruism- … Continue reading "Why I quit effective altruism, and why Timothy Telleen-Lawton is...
[Seizure Warning - This video contains strobing colors and complex patterns of synchronization that might be best avoided by anyone worried about epileptic responses]
Try it yourself! Coupling Kernels in 2D: https://qri.org/demo/coupled_kernels
Coupling Kernels in 2D + 2 Screens: https://qri.org/xe2lkm3qz5a1rj6/two_screens_connected_2
Couopling Kernels in 3D/2D Interface:
What's the relationship between "looking for a solution" to a safety problem, and "paying a safety tax"? By considering tax requirements as a function of capabilities, we can reconcile these concepts.
Saturday, October 19
Yep
[Stephen Kerhsnar is a professor of philosophy at SUNY Fredonia.
This is a linkpost for a new research paper from the Alignment Evaluations team at Anthropic and other researchers, introducing a new suite of evaluations of models' abilities to undermine measurement, oversight, and decision-making. Paper link. Abstract: Sufficiently capable models could subvert human oversight and decision-making in important contexts.
Introduction. Worldview diversification involves “putting significant resources behind each worldview that we find highly plausible,” and then allowing those resources to be utilized in ways that promote that worldview’s values (Karnofsky 2016). There are many possible representatives of a worldview. In a large organization, entire departments might represent worldviews.
Yes, he’s the guy from The Elegant Universe book and TV series. Our conversation is 1 hour 40 minutes; as usual I strongly recommend listening at 2x speed. The topics, chosen by Brian, include quantum computing (algorithms, hardware, error-correction … the works), my childhood, the interpretation of quantum mechanics, the current state of AI, the […]...
Cute squid scarf.
Blog moderation policy.
For millions of Californians, the vision of owning their own home is at the heart of the California dream. The sense of stability that comes with owning your home, along with the ability to provide for your family while having…. The post VIDEO: The California Dream of <span class="dewidow">Home Ownership</span> appeared first on California YIMBY.
It's been a busy season at the Nucleic Acid Observatory, and we have a lot to share since our last update. As always, If anything here is particularly interesting or if you’re working on similar problems, please reach out!. Wastewater Sequencing.
Langue : Anglais
Sous-titre : Français
Quand elle se réveille amnésique dans une chambre médicale, Angélique apprend par l’agent Calvin qu’elle est la clé du programme Namaka visant à empêcher une invasion extra-terrestre. Mais sa seule préoccupation est de retrouver son bébé, enlevé mystérieusement par césarienne.
Are LLMs capable of introspection, i.e. special access to their own inner states? Can they use this access to report facts about themselves that are not in the training data? Yes — in simple tasks at least!TLDR: We find that LLMs are capable of introspection on simple tasks.
ARC recently released our first empirical paper: Estimating the Probabilities of Rare Language Model Outputs. In this work, we construct a simple setting for low probability estimation — single-token argmax sampling in transformers — and use it to compare the performance of various estimation methods.
"Amounts we cannot fathom of agony that we cannot fathom."
A foretaste of Ch. 11 of Stewart Brand’s Maintenance on Books in Progress...
Molly Mackinlay has extensive work experience in various roles at different companies. She is currently the Head of Engineering, Product, & Research Development at Protocol Labs, where they lead teams working on the IPFS Project.
Amodei’s vision | LeCun’s timelines | TSMC...
In favor of liking things, especially if the thing is Kamala Harris
What’s the impact of meat-reduction campaigns? Are they a cost-effective strategy? This report sets to find out. The post Do Meat-Reduction Media Campaigns Save Animal Lives? appeared first on Faunalytics.
A fair bit!
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the CEO of a still unnamed company has been indicted for creating a fake auditing company to falsify security certifications in order to win government business.
In malaria endemic regions, being anemic could be keeping children safe
In Wednesday’s Future Perfect newsletter, my colleague Dylan Matthews wrote about the case for skepticism about this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics winners. His argument was that while their theories are interesting, there’s plenty of reason to doubt just how correct those theories are. For several other Nobels this year, however, my skepticism runs in […]...
Friday, October 18
Decreasing cost to orbit makes new space structures viable. A transformative option is a telescope capable of seeing distant planets up close. The post It’s Time to Build the Exoplanet Telescope
appeared first on Palladium.
At EAG: London 2024, I presented Ambitious Impact's strategic vision for maximizing career impact across the EA ecosystem. I introduced the concept of "high absorbency" careers and outlined why and how EA should create more targeted on-ramps, helping promising individuals bridge the final gap to truly impactful roles.
I keep little symbols of big things in my life in a headphone case. Believe it or not, this is the official Boy Scouts badge for my home region. (The region’s most notable landmark is an arsoned cathedral - at one point the second-largest building in Scotland.). A young dead friend.
My first two degrees.
Understanding Trump's odds, Hurricanes, and Manifold's revenue
Dear Friend, What happens when committed public health professionals unite with a community of supporters to take on one of the biggest challenges? You get it done! Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the progress that Seva and our teams have been making. Our analytics from this past year show that more people than ever are ….
With clear eyes, Abdu can do anything! “Kids” and “cataracts” aren’t two words one hears very often in the same sentence. For one thing, the young person having the vision difficulty might not make that much of it, assuming everyone sees objects surrounded by a big fuzzy blur. They may be shy about bringing it ….
Today, there are an estimated 476 million indigenous peoples worldwide, speaking 4,000 of the world’s languages. No two communities are the same, and neither are their eye care needs. In the U.S. and around the world, Seva partners directly with indigenous communities to co-create eye care interventions. Indigenous partners lead conversations, sharing their knowledge, experiences, lived ….
Glasses. Chances are better than 50% that you, dear reader, rely on something to correct your refractive error (near- or far-sightedness) like contacts, prescription glasses, or readers. You may even have a few pairs stashed in your car, office, or workshop. But in low- and middle-income countries, refractive error is the leading cause of vision ….
A new Seva project in India will target babies’ and children’s needs; specifically, children’s need for eyeglasses (correcting quality refractive error), and treating Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in babies. School-aged students will receive complete eye checkups, prescriptions, and a selection of stylish frames at their local Vision Centers. To ensure ongoing eye care there will ….
This past June, we wished Seva “original” Suzanne Gilbert a fulfilling retirement. As Senior Director of Research and Strategic Opportunities, Suzanne led Seva’s efforts to bring good science and research to the work she supported for over 47 years. Suzanne’s legacy of commitment to teaching and innovating local communities through training for excellence has been ….
Carole Blank Shares the Love Glasses have been part of Carole Blank’s life since she was a kid. So imagine her delight, make that astonishment, when a cataract surgery gave her 20/20 vision in one eye. “What an amazing gift!”, she wrote. “To see the face of a child, a sunrise, flowers blooming…something so many …. The post Donor Shout-Outs – Fall 2024 first appeared on Seva Foundation.
These young activists are eager to make the world a better place. From stories to rap to athletic endeavors, these projects reflect the talent and compassion of their creators. View their projects and full bios, on our website, seva.org/yap. Seva and the larger community are in good hands with upstarts like these. If you know ….
As we celebrate Mercy For Animals’ 25th anniversary, we reflect on the impact our work has made. Through protests, investigations, calls for a more plant-based food system, and partnerships with major celebrities, we have opened the hearts and minds of millions of people to the plight of animals raised and killed for food. With the […].
Will Slate call me America's creepiest blogger?
Introduction. Accurately quantifying animal suffering is a critical step in ensuring that welfare interventions are evidence-based and lead to meaningful improvements. We are excited to share this transcript from our workshop at EAG: London 2024, where we introduced the methodology behind the Welfare Footprint Project.
Thursday, October 17
We had the pleasure of exhibiting at New Scientist Live for the first time last weekend! New Scientist Live is a major science exhibition in London on October 12-14, bringing in visitors from all over London. It was a huge opportunity for us to showcase our work to science-keen audiences of all ages. On Monday […]. The post New Scientist Live 2024 appeared first on Target Malaria.
We had the pleasure of exhibiting at New Scientist Live for the first time last weekend! New Scientist Live is a major science exhibition in London on October 12-14, bringing in visitors from all over London. It was a huge opportunity for us to showcase our work to science-keen audiences of all ages. On Monday […]. The post New Scientist Live 2024 appeared first on Target Malaria.
Land use for agriculture negatively impacts biodiversity and climate change. This article discusses farming technologies that can reduce land use. The post Can Technology Reduce Land Use For Agriculture? appeared first on Faunalytics.
To Advocate "Don't Do Anything Risky!" is Risky
CGD's Eeshani Kandpal speaks with Twaweza founder Rakesh Rajani and the World Bank's Halsey Rogers about how Twaweza's learning assessments influenced the 2018 World Development Report on education. Together they shed light on how partnerships between international actors and local institutions can have outsize impact on policy worldwide.
Sightsavers’ Adnan Youhana shares how eliminating the eye disease was a true team effort, involving surgeons, radio hosts and Lady Health Workers.
What problem do we get after we've solved all other problems?
Plus: OpenAI’s $6.6B fundraising round, AI data centers go nuclear, the FTC cracks down on misleading AI promises, and OMB’s AI acquisition guidance. The post DoD announces “Replicator 2” for counter-drone tech, Newsom vetoes SB 1047, and Commerce’s new (and upcoming) chip export rules appeared first on Center for Security and Emerging Technology.
This paper was published as a GPI working paper in October 2024. Abstract. I study a static production economy in which consumers have not only preferences over their own consumption but also external, or “ethical”, preferences over the supply of each good.
The second of our 'AI Safety Breakfasts' event series, featuring Dr. Charlotte Stix on model evaluations, deceptive AI behaviour, and the AI Safety and Action Summits.
On 8 October 2024, the British Pugwash group held an online seminar with Zhou Bo, Senior Fellow at the Centre … More...
Open Philanthropy is launching a search for an exceptional Program Officer to found and lead a new grantmaking portfolio focused on promoting economic growth in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). If we make a hire, we expect them to oversee at least $30 million in giving over their first three years.
I once heard the advice that you should write your own obituary. You can then see if you want to change it. Here are my first three attempts:
This is a crosspost for Why is it so hard to know if you're helping? by Erik Hoel, which was published on 25 January 2024. [Subtitle:] Even sending mosquito bed nets to Africa carries uncertainty. Art for The Intrinsic Perspective is by Alexander Naughton“We are willing to help, Lord, but what, if anything, is needed? ...
Summary: I outline an argument for nonhuman animals mattering a lot in expectation on non-hedonic views, illustrating with desire and preference-based views (more). I argue against normalizing each individual's welfare by their desires/preferences about their own suffering (or about anything else) (more).
Why do smart people fall for stupid things? This week, we’re going to discuss an important part of the answer to that question: trust....
A shocking new exposé by Animal Justice reveals fish being brutally killed at Sustainable Blue, a “sustainable” salmon farm in Canada. The disturbing video shows multiple fish being stomped on. One clip shows a supervisor killing several fish—one who is pregnant—by slamming them against tanks. When asked whether workers received any slaughter training, the supervisor […].
In Rondonia, Brazil, a judge has ruled that several beef slaughterhouses are guilty of purchasing cattle from a protected area of former rainforest in the Amazon. The judge has also ordered the slaughterhouses and three cattle ranchers to collectively pay $764,000 for the environmental harm caused. Funds will be used to reforest 573 acres of […]. The post Does U.S.
This is a follow-up from a post I made a week ago. If you have fifteen minutes to spare, you can contribute to increasing the effectiveness of the UK's aid programme - which spends approximately US $20 billion each year - to try to direct as much of that money to go towards the most effective interventions to help the greatest number of people.
As a passionate animal activist and Mercy For Animals volunteer, I was thrilled when my good friend invited me to table at Black VegFest. Black VegFest is a Brooklyn-based vegan festival centered on uplifting and speaking on nonhuman-animal and Black liberation struggles to breathe more intersectionality into the vegan movement. Vegan activist and speaker Omowale […].
EA Forum Digest #211
Hello!. The application deadline for EA Global Boston is on the 20th October (this is the final reminder! ), you can apply here. If you can’t make it to an EAG(x) event in person, EAGxVirtual is also coming up soon, and can be attended from anywhere in the world. The application deadline for this is on the 14th November.
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