(Cross-posted from LessWrong and the Alignment Forum)

In the last year, we’ve seen a surge of interest in AI safety. Many young professionals and aspiring researchers are attempting or seriously considering a career shift into this and related fields. We’ve seen a corresponding rise in months-long technical bootcamps and research programs, but mentorship has failed to keep pace with this rise. This is a staggering gap, and we intend to fill it - starting now. 

Enter the Mentorship in AGI Safety (MAGIS) program, a joint initiative between AI Safety Quest and Sci.STEPS. 

The pilot program will recruit mentors from the community and pair them with mentees according to self-reported background and professional goals, including technical experience, career advice, and soft skills. Mentors will meet with mentees 6 times over 3 months to provide guidance tailored to their specific needs - whether technical expertise, non-technical skills, or career development advice. The program will also provide shared networking and collaboration resources on Discord, and 2+ joint webinar activities for all mentees. According to feedback from the participants of the first season of Sci.STEPS, a mentor program like this one is an immense help to early career researchers. 

MAGIS opens with a call for mentors. If you are currently doing research in AI Safety or working in any related area (outreach, technical governance, machine learning, etc.), consider applying! By default, we ask that you commit to at least 6 one-hour mentorship meetings over the 3-month program, though you and your mentee(s) might work out a different schedule. At present, this is a volunteer effort; the only reward we can offer is the chance to help someone make an impact at a pivotal moment in their career. 

Program Outline

The overall plan for the pilot program in  2024: 

1. Call for mentors. We invite mentors to apply using this form. If enough mentors sign up, we will close applications on June 5. 
2. Invite mentees. After we find and select mentors, we will open applications for prospective mentees. We expect them to run June 15 - 31. 
3. Match pairs based on the mentor’s background and mentee's request. This will be done in July. 
4. Start the program.  We activate and share community spaces,  announce pairs, and conduct a kick-off event in late July. We will connect mentor-mentee pairs and offer guidance on effective meetings. 
5. Maintain contact with pairs throughout the program. Organize webinars and conduct periodic check-ins.
6. Wrap up and survey participants for feedback in late October. 

About the Organizers

Sci.STEPS is a mentorship program for undergraduates, graduates, and young scientists building their careers in academia and beyond. We successfully conducted two seasons in 2023 and 2024 with a total of 100+ participants, 20+ online events, guest experts and coaching sessions. 

AI Safety Quest is a volunteer organization that hosts career navigation calls, open discussions in AI Safety, and training cohorts that follow the AI Safety Fundamentals curriculum published by BlueDot Impact. We have successfully operated for over a year.