Geoffrey Irving departs AISI to found AI alignment nonprofit
Geoffrey Irving announced his departure from the UK AI Security Institute to return to the Bay Area and establish a new nonprofit dedicated to AI alignment research. He joined AISI as Research Director in April 2024 after leaving DeepMind in December 2023. During his two-year tenure he contributed to work on scalable alignment and model transparency.
@geoffreyirving excited about your new org, look forward to running into you more around the bay
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
#321Geoffrey Irving@GEOFFREYIRVINGA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come).
I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
Full reflections in blog form if you don’t like tweet threads!
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
I left DeepMind to join the UK AI Security Institute as a Research Director in Dec 2023 and started in April 2024 (time for family travel, wandering around London, and interval arithmetic). The past 2 years have cemented AISI as my favourite job to date!
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingFull reflections in blog form if you don’t like tweet threads! https://naml.us/post/reflections-on-aisi
AISI is a hugely impactful place, especially for Research Director-level folk! We have a deep bench of excellent, driven talent; the ability to drive research on catastrophic risks or large-scale societal impacts that translates unusually directly into policy and action; …
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingI have mixed feelings! It is right for family reasons and I’m excited for my next phase, but I love AISI and will miss it! My reasons to join stand: safety progress is slow, coordination is under-resourced, and governments have a key role in coordination. https://www.aisi.gov.uk/blog/why-i-joined-aisi---geoffrey-irving
#321Geoffrey Irving@GEOFFREYIRVINGThe worry about sacrificing future career advancement is super fake, FWIW. People do worry about that, but like, I’m not that worried that I came out of this with a worse reputation and neither should others. :)
#321Geoffrey Irving@GEOFFREYIRVINGYou're one of my favourite people, Xander! I will be sad to get fewer hours with you!
#321Geoffrey Irving@GEOFFREYIRVINGThank you, Ian! It took Ian a couple tries to convince me to join, and I've very thankful you persevered. A shame in hindsight I didn't get to the right answer a few months earlier in summer 2023! ❤️
Ian Hogarth@soundboyGeoffrey left DeepMind to serve in government. For 2 years, he has done work of national and global consequence - at genuine personal cost. It is the kind of choice more of the best technical minds should be making. Thank you, Geoffrey - Britain has been fortunate to have you!
#321Geoffrey Irving@GEOFFREYIRVINGLikewise, Joseph! It was very fun to help you design and build out the Model Transparency Team, and it’s a neat example of how AISI mixes research (what techniques will work) with the risk mitigation story (how will the decision process handle uncertain scientific evidence). ❤️
#413Elad Hazan@HAZANPRINCETONGeoffrey's work on AI alignment has been an inspiration, all the best for your new endeavors in the bay area!
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
@geoffreyirving Thanks for your exceptional work -- you have shaped the world.
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
@geoffreyirving ❤️
Logan Graham@logangraham@geoffreyirving Thanks for your exceptional work -- you have shaped the world.
@geoffreyirving @boazbaraktcs Welcome back to SF and thanks for all your service!
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
#772Ian Hogarth@SOUNDBOYGeoffrey left DeepMind to serve in government. For 2 years, he has done work of national and global consequence - at genuine personal cost. It is the kind of choice more of the best technical minds should be making. Thank you, Geoffrey - Britain has been fortunate to have you!
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
@geoffreyirving @FranklinMatija Good luck Geoffrey – very exciting news about the new NGO. I wish you every success! 👏
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
#906William Isaac@WSISAACGeoffrey is an amazing leader and colleague. It is bittersweet to see him leave AISI, but I’m excited about his new research initiative!
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
#919Samuel Albanie 🇬🇧@SAMUELALBANIEa big loss 😭
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
@geoffreyirving @DavidSKrueger Thank you for your service Geoffrey, and for all you’ve done for UK AISI & the alignment ecosystem.
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
@geoffreyirving Wonderful news! Looking forward to meeting when you're here in the Bay!
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️
#1470gavin leech (Non-Reasoning)@GLEECH
Geoffrey Irving@geoffreyirvingA bittersweet announcement! For family reasons, I will be leaving AISI soon to move back to the Bay Area. I will be starting a new nonprofit alignment research org (more to come). I will miss this place! Here are some reflections about my time at AISI. 🧵❤️