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.