Field: AI forecasting

Position & Organization: Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence

What do you like about your work? My ideas are taken seriously and my work is appreciated. The problems in existential risk are hard, unsolved and numerous — which means that everyone welcomes your initiative and contributions and will not hold you back if you try something new.

What do you not like about your work? Again — the problems are numerous. I feel like I am constantly behind in reading the many papers from the many fields that are relevant for the study of existential risk. That is of course, the nature of interdisciplinary research. But I would like to find a better way (and get more people in the field?) to make sure we’re not missing anything.

Do you have any advice for women who want to enter this field? Come to Cambridge. There’s lots of us here.

On a more serious note: find a mentor. It does not matter whether male or female, but let it be someone who asks you questions, is interested in your thoughts and discusses your answers seriously. I think this field requires people who think in an unorthodox way — that is not something which we (especially women) are taught. Find someone who can teach you.

Email people for advice. Go to conferences. Send your questions/comments to authors. Read widely.

What makes you hopeful for the future? Colleagues.