So8res comments on The mechanics of my recent productivity - Less Wrong

86 Post author: So8res 09 January 2014 02:30AM

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Comment author: So8res 09 January 2014 07:27:48PM 12 points [-]

Research associateship isn't a full time MIRI position -- I'll be doing research in addition to my day job.

Comment author: brazil84 10 January 2014 09:17:06AM 3 points [-]

By the way, what exactly is your position at Google?

Also, will you agree to update this post in a year or two to add some perspective?

Comment author: So8res 05 April 2015 04:30:41PM *  20 points [-]

Update, ~1 year later: I am a full-time MIRI research fellow now, and it's been one hell of a year.

I've maintained my high productivity consistently since last year. I wrote twelve papers over the course of the year, nine as the primary author, three as a secondary author. I compiled the MIRI technical agenda and the MIRI research guide. I attended five conferences, and I've flown around the world to talk with many different people about related topics. I've learned a ton.

Public discourse about AI x-risk has advanced far faster than I expected, thanks in large part to Bostrom's Superintelligence and the the Future of Life institute. The field is growing much faster than expected. These are exciting times, and I'm grateful that I was granted the opportunity to throw myself into the thick of things.

Comment author: Sean_o_h 08 April 2015 10:51:24AM 4 points [-]

9 single author research papers is extremely impressive! Well done.

Comment author: So8res 10 January 2014 04:17:20PM 1 point [-]

Software Engineer. I'm happy to post an update in a year or two, but you may need to remind me then.

Comment author: brazil84 10 January 2014 04:36:19PM 1 point [-]

Thank you. I will try to remember.

Comment author: PECOS-9 11 January 2014 02:26:30AM 10 points [-]

If you send an email to "1year@followupthen.com" with a reminder for yourself, you'll get an email reminder in 1 year.

Comment author: brazil84 11 January 2014 05:57:29AM 1 point [-]

Cool, thanks. I should have known that someone had devised a simple electronic solution to the problem :)

Comment author: adamzerner 11 January 2014 12:02:38AM *  0 points [-]

There's still an opportunity cost to working at Google - you could be spending more time working for MIRI. Why work at Google when you could be spending that time working for MIRI?

Comment author: So8res 11 January 2014 12:36:51AM *  10 points [-]

Google subsidizes that particular opportunity cost (by paying me), and that I donate a fair portion of my salary to MIRI. I haven't been at this long enough to be confident I can produce more value via research than donation.

Furthermore, there's a significant cost to not working elsewhere: I need money to live. MIRI has limited resources with which to support full time researchers, and if/when they do start supporting new full time researchers I should certainly not be at the top of the list. I have recently demonstrated some skill and drive, but I have a long way to go before I can match the productivity of others who are just as driven and far more knowledgable.