AI researchers are doing some of the most stressful work in the world right now, and I don't mean that as an exaggeration. A majority report burnout and almost half have considered leaving the field because of the pressure.[1] Researchers are working under the belief that human labor is about to become obsolete and the window to intervene is running out. They feel guilty for overworking and at the same time guilty for not working hard enough, considering what is at stake, which very likely means the future of humanity. Even admitting how grandiose that sounds brings on more guilt and embarrassment, leaving many researchers wondering if they're delusional. On top of that, many hide their distress to protect their funding and reputations, and are afraid their friends and family will think they've lost their minds. There is a horrifying mismatch here: researchers are fighting relentlessly to make sure the singularity does not end in catastrophe, while having almost no support for a situation this uncanny. Almost every therapist I've talked to has no real picture of what this work is or how serious the situation is.
My name is Ramaiz. I'm a therapist with my own private practice. Before that I was an engineer, so I've been able to follow the technical side of capability and alignment work closely for the last few years, and I've written here before about the connection between alignment and clinical psychology.[2]
To start addressing this gap, I'm writing a post called A Therapist's Guide to the Singularity, written specifically for AI researchers and aiming to post it before Thanksgiving. I'm still fleshing out what it covers, but hopefully: the chronic stress, telling rational fears from irrational ones, managing guilt and anxiety, the isolation from friends and family and society at large who don't understand, and how to find and work with a therapist who might instinctively tell you you're catastrophizing. Essentially, it's an offer of support to the community on how to stay sane through this transition, with more resources to come.
Before I write it, I want to hear from you. I'd love to have a 30 minute conversation with anyone working in AI safety or capabilities about what the stress looks like day to day, what you've observed in the community, any experiences you've had with therapy and what would help. This isn't intended to be a formal study or interview. It's a conversation, because I want to understand what you're dealing with up close before releasing a post that misunderstands what would be helpful.
AI researchers are doing some of the most stressful work in the world right now, and I don't mean that as an exaggeration. A majority report burnout and almost half have considered leaving the field because of the pressure.[1] Researchers are working under the belief that human labor is about to become obsolete and the window to intervene is running out. They feel guilty for overworking and at the same time guilty for not working hard enough, considering what is at stake, which very likely means the future of humanity. Even admitting how grandiose that sounds brings on more guilt and embarrassment, leaving many researchers wondering if they're delusional. On top of that, many hide their distress to protect their funding and reputations, and are afraid their friends and family will think they've lost their minds. There is a horrifying mismatch here: researchers are fighting relentlessly to make sure the singularity does not end in catastrophe, while having almost no support for a situation this uncanny. Almost every therapist I've talked to has no real picture of what this work is or how serious the situation is.
My name is Ramaiz. I'm a therapist with my own private practice. Before that I was an engineer, so I've been able to follow the technical side of capability and alignment work closely for the last few years, and I've written here before about the connection between alignment and clinical psychology.[2]
To start addressing this gap, I'm writing a post called A Therapist's Guide to the Singularity, written specifically for AI researchers and aiming to post it before Thanksgiving. I'm still fleshing out what it covers, but hopefully: the chronic stress, telling rational fears from irrational ones, managing guilt and anxiety, the isolation from friends and family and society at large who don't understand, and how to find and work with a therapist who might instinctively tell you you're catastrophizing. Essentially, it's an offer of support to the community on how to stay sane through this transition, with more resources to come.
Before I write it, I want to hear from you. I'd love to have a 30 minute conversation with anyone working in AI safety or capabilities about what the stress looks like day to day, what you've observed in the community, any experiences you've had with therapy and what would help. This isn't intended to be a formal study or interview. It's a conversation, because I want to understand what you're dealing with up close before releasing a post that misunderstands what would be helpful.
You can book a time here: https://calendly.com/taprootpsychotherapy/30min
If you prefer to write, feel free to email me at taprootpsychotherapy [at] gmail.com
(DMs are also open)
Thank you.
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