80,000 Hours - Narrations
80,000 Hours - Narrations presents audio versions of articles published on 80000hours.org, a site focused on evidence-based career advice and research into the world's most pressing problems. Episodes cover topics such as choosing a high-impact career, effective altruism, and global priorities research. Some articles are read by their original authors, while others are narrated by AI. For interviews and discussion formats, listeners are pointed to the separate 80,000 Hours Podcast.
Episodes
[Career review] “Grantmaking for AI safety” by Aaron Gertler
Funding for AI safety is surging, but the field needs dozens of new grantmakers to connect that money with impactful projects. Learn what it takes to make effective grants, which backgrounds are a promising signal for your fit, and how to explore this career path. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:10) Summary(02:48) Recommended(02:57) Review status(04:27) Why work on grantmaking for AI safety?(06:17)
[Career review] “AI security” by Aaron Gertler
Organisations with influence, financial power, and advanced technology are targeted by actors seeking to steal or abuse these assets. A career in information security is a promising avenue to support high-impact organisations by protecting against these attacks, which have the potential to disrupt an organisation's mission or even increase existential risk. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:12) Summa
[Career review] “AI policy in the US government” by Avital Morris
The US federal government has jurisdiction over the most prominent AI companies in the world — and the people working inside it may have more influence over AI's future than almost anyone else. But government AI policy work is hard to break into, politically constrained, and carries a real risk of doing harm. Learn what it actually takes to build a career in US government AI policy: which roles an
[Career review] “Pandemic prevention and biosecurity” by Aaron Gertler, Gregory Lewis
Explore how careers in biosecurity research, policy, and entrepreneurship can help reduce risks like engineered pandemics. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(02:18) Recommended(02:27) Review status(02:32) Why work on pandemic prevention?(02:37) It could save millions of lives(03:32) It isnt very speculative(04:23) There are many tractable approaches(05:27) It doesnt require working on AI(06:28) What does
“What to aim for: Part 1 We reviewed over 60 studies about what makes for a dream job. Here’s what we found.” by Benjamin Todd
We all want to find a dream job that’s enjoyable and meaningful, but what does that actually mean?Some people imagine that the answer will come to them in a flash of insight, while others think what matters is that their dream job is easy and well paid.At 80,000 Hours, we’ve reviewed three decades of research into what makes for a satisfying career, drawing on hundreds of studies, and didn’t find
[Career review] “Macrostrategy research” by Zershaaneh Qureshi
What if your job was to think carefully about the long-term future of humanity? Macrostrategy research is one of the most neglected (and potentially most important) career paths focused on tackling the world's most pressing problems. We break down what macrostrategy researchers actually do, why the rise of advanced AI makes their work more urgent than ever, and what it takes to succeed in a field
[Career review] “Building the field of AI safety” by Aaron Gertler
When most people think about working on AI safety, they picture researchers and policy wonks. But there's a quieter, often overlooked path that may actually have more impact — and it's desperately short of talent. AI safety fieldbuilders are the people who recruit, train, and connect the researchers, policymakers, and communicators who make the whole ecosystem run. Whether you're a seasoned profes
[Career review] “US Electoral Politics” by Sam Roth
Winning elections is one of the most direct levers on the world's biggest problems — and the field is more open to talented newcomers than you'd think. We make the case for why impact-driven people are exactly what politics needs more of. You'll find an honest look at the real downsides, the skills and backgrounds that transfer surprisingly well, and concrete next steps to get started. Narrated by
[Problem profile] “How AI could create the world’s biggest problems” by Zershaaneh Qureshi
AGI could rapidly transform the world, posing existential risks to humanity. Here’s why working on AI risks could be the most important use of your career. Narrated by the author. ---Outline:(00:00) How artificial intelligence could create the world’s biggest problems(00:19) Introduction(03:41) So how could advanced AI pose the world’s most pressing problems?(08:31) 1. AI could replace human labou
China-related AI safety and governance
China is a leading country in AI. If you have a background in China you may be able to help ensure its development benefits everyone. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(02:50) Sometimes recommended -- personal fit dependent(03:02) Review status(03:07) Why pursue this path?(03:11) 1. Safely managing the introduction of AI may require unprecedented international coordination.(04:46) 2. Coordination between
[Article] “How AI-driven feedback loops could make things very crazy, very fast” by Benjamin Todd
What if the next decade doesn't gradually ease us into an AI future, but catapults us through a century's worth of change in less than ten years? This article explores three interconnected 'explosions' that could unfold once AI becomes capable enough to improve itself, revealing how feedback loops — where progress in one area accelerates progress everywhere else — could transform the pace of civil
[Problem profile] “Extreme power concentration” by Rose Hadshar
Power is already concentrated today: over 800 million people live on less than $3 a day, the three richest men in the world are worth over $1 trillion, and almost six billion people live in countries without free and fair elections.This is a problem in its own right. There is still substantial distribution of power though: global income inequality is falling, over&nbs
The US AI policy landscape: where to work to have the biggest impact
The US government may be the single most important actor for shaping how AI develops. If you want to improve the trajectory of AI and reduce catastrophic risks, you could have an outsized impact by working on US policy. But the US policy ecosystem is huge and confusing. And policy shaping AI is made by specific people in specific places — so where you work matters enormously. Narrated by AI. ---Ou
[Problem profile] “Using AI to enhance societal decision making” by Zershaaneh Qureshi
The arrival of AGI could “compress a century of progress in a decade”, forcing humanity to make decisions with higher stakes than we’ve ever seen before — and with less time to get them right. But AI development also presents an opportunity: we could build and deploy AI tools that help us think more clearly, act more wisely, and coordinate more effectively. And if we roll these decision-making too
[Career review] “Founding new organisations” by Benjamin Todd
Become a founder of an organisation tackling one of the world’s most pressing problems. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:32) Recommended(01:41) Review status(01:47) Why might founding a new project be high impact?(04:34) What does it take to succeed?(05:05) A good enough idea(06:10) You need to be able to convince donors(09:20) An idea that really motivates you(10:45) Leadership potential(11:20) Gen
[Career review] “Early-stage startup employee” by Benjamin Todd
Being an early employee at a startup is similar to being a startup founder, except (i) the impact and financial return are usually lower (ii) the risk is lower and (iii) the personal demands are lower. It's a promising path if you'd like to found a startup, but don't have a good idea and co-founder, or want a less demanding option. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:13) Summary(00:56) Key facts on fit
[Problem profile] “Catastrophic AI misuse” by The 80,000 Hours team
On July 16, 1945, humanity had a disturbing first: scientists tested a technology — nuclear weapons — that could cause the destruction of civilisation. Since the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, humanity hasn’t launched any more nuclear strikes. In part, this is because our institutions developed international norms that, while imperfect, managed to prevent more nuclear attacks. We expect advan
What are the most pressing world problems? Frequently asked questions.
The recording may not reflect the most recent changes to this article. ---Outline:(00:32) What are these lists based on?(03:11) Why did you make this page?(04:27) Why don't you list more familiar global issues?(06:08) Isn't it inappropriate to rank different issues?(07:25) Should I just take your word for it that these are the most pressing problems in the world?(08:16) How do you think your list
“How not to lose your job to AI” by Benjamin Todd
About half of people are worried they'll lose their job to AI. And they're right to be concerned: AI can now complete real-world coding tasks on GitHub, generate photorealistic video, drive a taxi more safely than humans, and do accurate medical diagnosis. And over the next five years, it's set to continue to improve rapidly. Eventually, mass automation and falling wages are a real possibility. Na
[Problem profile] “AI-enabled power grabs” by Cody Fenwick
Advanced AI technology may enable its creators, or others who control it, to attempt and achieve unprecedented societal power grabs. Under certain circumstances, they could use these systems to take control of whole economies, militaries, and governments. This kind of power grab from a single person or small group would pose a major threat to the rest of humanity. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:10
[Article] “Which industry has the highest-paying jobs?” by Benjamin Todd
New tax data lets us accurately estimate which 11 jobs and industries are the highest paying on average, and for top performers. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(02:14) List of the highest paying jobs according to tax data(03:51) Which jobs are included in the table?(05:52) How do the highest-earning people make their money?(07:07) Which high-paying jobs are missing? How to make it into the top 1% as a
[Problem profile] “Gradual disempowerment” by Cody Fenwick
The proliferation of advanced AI systems may lead to the gradual disempowerment of humanity, even if efforts to prevent them from becoming power-seeking or scheming are successful. Humanity may be incentivised to hand over increasing amounts of control to AIs, giving them power over the economy, politics, culture, and more. Over time, humanity's interests may be sidelined and our control over the
“Why AGI could be here soon and what you can do about it: a primer” by Benjamin Todd
I'm writing a new guide to careers to help artificial general intelligence (AGI) go well. Here's a summary of the bottom lines that'll be in the guide as it stands. Stay tuned to hear our full reasoning and updates as our views evolve. In short: The chance of an AGI-driven technological explosion before 2030 — creating one of the most pivotal periods in history — is high enough to act on. Narrated
“The case for AGI by 2030” by Benjamin Todd
In recent months, the CEOs of leading AI companies have grown increasingly confident about rapid progress:OpenAI’s Sam Altman: Shifted from saying in November “the rate of progress continues” to declaring in January “we are now confident we know how to build AGI”Anthropic’s Dario Amodei: Stated in January “I’m more confident than I’ve ever been that we’re close to powerful capabilities… in the nex
[Problem profile] “Great power conflict” by Stephen Clare
At some point in the 21st century, an unwinnable war may be fought.A modern great power war could see nuclear weapons, bioweapons, autonomous weapons, and other destructive new technologies deployed on an unprecedented scale.It would probably be the most destructive event in history, shattering our world. It could even threaten us with extinction.We’ve come perilously close to just this kind of ca
[Problem profile] “Preventing catastrophic pandemics” by Arden Koehler and Benjamin Hilton
The recording may not reflect the most recent changes to this article.Some of the deadliest events in history have been pandemics.For comparisons of the deadliest events in history, see Luke Muehlhauser’s survey of the deadliest events in history, also cited in our full profile on reducing global catastrophic biological risks. Note three of the top 10 are pandemics:Global catastrophic biological r
[Problem profile] “Stable totalitarianism” by Stephen Clare
The Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia for just four years, yet in that time they murdered about one-quarter of Cambodia's population. Even short-lived totalitarian regimes can inflict enormous harm. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(03:48) Summary(04:18) Our overall view(07:12) Why might the risk of stable totalitarianism be an especially pressing problem?(07:36) Could totalitarianism be an existential risk?(0
[Article] “Anonymous answers: could advances in AI supercharge biorisk?” by Anemone Franz, Tessa Alexanian
This is Part Four of our four-part series of biosecurity anonymous answers. You can also read Part One: Misconceptions, Part Two: Fighting pandemics, and Part Three: Infohazards. One of the most prominently discussed catastrophic risks from AI is the potential for an AI-enabled bioweapon. But discussions of future technologies are necessarily speculative. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:23) Who we
[Article] “Anonymous answers: How can we manage infohazards in biosecurity?” by Anemone Franz, Tessa Alexanian
*This is Part Three of our four-part series of biosecurity anonymous answers. You can also read Part One: Misconceptions and Part Two: Fighting pandemics. In the field of biosecurity, many experts are concerned with managing information hazards (or infohazards). This is information that some believe could be dangerous if it were widely known — such as the gene sequence of a deadly virus or particu
[Problem profile] “Moral status of digital minds” by Cody Fenwick
We don't know how to assess whether future AI systems will have moral status. Here's why that could be a big problem. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(02:21) Summary(03:07) Our overall view(04:46) Why might understanding the moral status of digital minds be an especially pressing problem?(04:53) 1. Humanity may soon grapple with many AI systems that could be conscious(10:33) Clearing up common misconce
[Article] “Anonymous answers: What are the best ways to fight the next pandemic?” by Anemone Franz, Tessa Alexanian
*This is Part Two of our four-part series of biosecurity anonymous answers. You can also read Part One: Misconceptions. Preventing catastrophic pandemics is one of our top priorities. But the landscape of pandemic preparedness is complex and multifaceted, and experts don't always agree about what the most effective interventions are or how resources should be allocated. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:
[Career review] “Diplomacy” by Abi Olvera, Dan Spokojny
While working as a diplomat at the US embassy in post-Soviet Kazakhstan, Andy Weber got an odd question from his auto mechanic: "Are you interested in purchasing some uranium?" "Strange things were happening at that time," Weber told 80,000 Hours in an interview. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:46) Why might a career in diplomacy be high-impact?(06:45) How much can a diplomat really influence polic
[Career review] “Protected: AI Safety technical research” by Benjamin Hilton
AI safety research — research on ways to prevent unwanted behaviour from AI systems — generally involves working as a scientist or engineer at major AI labs, in academia, or in independent nonprofits. Narrated by AI. ---
First published:
April 25th, 2023
Source:
https://80000hours.org/career-reviews/ai-safety-technical-research
---
Nar
[Career review] “Should you work at a frontier AI company?” by Arden Koehler, the 80,000 Hours team
In a nutshell: If you want to help reduce catastrophic risks from AI, working at a frontier AI company is an important option to consider, but the impact is hard to assess. These roles often come with great potential for career growth, and many could be (or lead to) highly impactful ways of reducing the chances of an AI-related catastrophe. However, there's also a risk of doing substantial harm,
[Problem profile] “Factory farming” by Benjamin Hilton
Each year, 50 billion animals are raised and slaughtered in factory farms. Most experience extreme levels of suffering. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:09) Summary(02:52) Introduction(03:42) How many animals are in farms?(06:03) How do we treat these animals?(07:16) How farmed chickens are treated(11:34) How farmed pigs are treated(13:13) How farmed cattle are treated(15:49) How farmed sheep and go
[Problem profile] “Nuclear weapons” by Benjamin Hilton
It’s very plausible that there will be a nuclear war this century. As a result, nuclear weapons remain an extremely pressing problem. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:49) Summary(01:31) Our overall view(02:56) How likely is a nuclear war?(04:43) How could a nuclear war come about?(09:51) What nuclear weapons are we talking about?(11:35) How bad could a nuclear war be?(12:44) How many weapons would b
[Career review] “Nuclear weapons safety and security” by Benjamin Hilton
Find out how you could use your career to prevent a nuclear war and reduce the risks posed by nuclear weapons. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:19) Recommended(01:29) Review status(01:34) Why working to prevent nuclear conflict is high-impact(03:05) What goals should we be aiming towards?(07:29) What does this path involve?(08:30) Working in the US government(14:01) Other governments and internation
[Article] “Anonymous answers: What are the biggest misconceptions about biosecurity and pandemic risk?” by Anemone Franz, Tessa Alexanian
Experts give their opinions about common misconceptions about biosecurity and pandemic prevention. They were granted anonymity for this piece. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(03:11) Expert 1: Failures of imagination and appeals to authority(05:17) Expert 2: Exaggerating small-scale risks and Western chauvinism(06:59) Expert 3: Useless reports and the world beyond effective altruism(07:37) Expert 4: Ov
[Career review] “Improving China-Western coordination on global catastrophic risks” by Benjamin Todd
In a nutshell: China will play an especially influential role in how many of the biggest challenges of the next century play out, including global catastrophic biological risks and — especially — developing emerging technologies like AI. But a lack of understanding and coordination between China and the West means we might not tackle those challenges as well as we can (and need to). Therefore, it
[Skill profile] “Communicating ideas” by Benjamin Todd, Benjamin Hilton
Through communicating important ideas, you could end up inspiring many people to do far more good than you could ever have done by yourself. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:53) Key facts on fit(02:14) Why are communication skills valuable?(08:17) What does building communication skills typically involve?(08:23) Content creation skills(13:43) Organisational communication skills(15:18) Communicating
[Skill profile] “Engineering skills” by Benjamin Hilton
Learn how to get started in an engineering career, and how you can use engineering skills to solve pressing global problems. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:56) Key facts on fit(02:24) Why are engineering skills valuable?(04:56) What specific discipline of engineering is most valuable?(06:04) What does using an engineering skill set typically involve?(06:36) Work in academia(07:27) Work in industry
[Career review] “Academic research” by Jess Whittlestone
Are academic careers a good option if you want to have a positive impact? A review of the pros and cons. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:13) Summary(02:37) Pros(02:51) Cons(03:07) Key facts on fit(03:25) Next steps(03:49) Recommended(03:59) Review status(04:04) What is this profile based on?(05:09) If you choose well, you can do valuable research(10:27) Research isn't the only way academics can hav
[Skill profile] “Software and tech skills” by Benjamin Hilton
Learn to code, then apply your skills to something that really matters. Here's how to get started and how to use your coding skills for good. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:41) Key facts on fit(01:06) Why are software and tech skills valuable?(02:16) What does a career using software and tech skills involve?(03:42) How to evaluate your fit(03:46) How to predict your fit in advance(04:34) How to te
[Skill profile] “Specialist knowledge relevant to a top problem” by Benjamin Hilton
Which areas of specialist knowledge are most applicable to solving the world's most pressing problems? Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(02:17) How should you get started building specialist knowledge?(02:44) All our career reviews relevant to building specialist knowledge(03:07) Explore other useful skills(03:20) Plus, join our newsletter and we’ll mail you a free book ---
First published:
[Article] “Communicating ideas” by Benjamin Todd, Benjamin Hilton
Many of the highest-impact people in history have been communicators and advocates of one kind or another.Take Rosa Parks, who in 1955 refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus, sparking a protest which led to a Supreme Court ruling that segregated buses were unconstitutional. Parks was a seamstress in her day job, but in her spare time she was involved with the civil rights movement. Wh
[Skill profile] “Policy and political skills” by Benjamin Hilton, Benjamin Todd
Working in policy can be a rewarding and high-impact way of changing the world for the better. Learn how to get started. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:11) Key facts on fit(01:33) Why are policy and political skills valuable?(02:25) Governments (and other powerful institutions) have a huge impact in the world(03:53) Governments and other major institutions play a major role in addressing the world
[Skill profile] “Organisation-building” by Benjamin Todd
Find out how to help build and boost great organisations through skills like management, operations, legal and financial oversight, entrepreneurship and fundraising. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(02:22) Key facts on fit(02:49) Why are organisation-building skills valuable?(04:18) What does organisation-building typically involve?(05:50) What skills are needed to build organisations?(07:21) Example p
[Skill profile] “Research skills” by Benjamin Hilton
Learn how to do research, and how you can use research skills to do good. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:21) Key facts on fit(01:43) Why are research skills valuable?(02:42) Research seems to have been extremely high-impact historically(04:30) There are good theoretical reasons to think that research will be high-impact(05:31) Research skills seem extremely useful to the problems we think are most
[Skill profile] “Experience with an emerging power (especially China)” by Benjamin Todd, Benjamin Hilton
Become an expert on an emerging power to improve international coordination on global issues including AI, pandemics, and climate change. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:17) Key facts on fit(01:32) Why is experience with an emerging power (especially China) valuable?(05:15) Safety when spending time abroad(05:45) What does building and using experience with an emerging power involve?(08:17) Example
[Article] “How to make a difference in any career” by Benjamin Todd
It's possible to make a big difference in any career. On this page, we explain how. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:56) 1) Donate cost-effectively(01:32) 2) Fundraise for great charities(02:26) 3) Advocate for effective causes(03:39) 4) High impact volunteering(03:59) 5) Build career capital The original text contained 2 footnotes which were omitted from this narration. ---
First publishe
[Problem profile] “Promoting positive values” by Arden Koehler
Our overall view Sometimes recommended Working on this problem could be among the best ways of improving the long-term future, but we know of fewer high-impact opportunities to work on this issue than on our top priority problems. See the scores for all problems we've investigated. --> Profile depth Exploratory That's the end of the summary. The main problem profile begins now. Why might it be h
Voting reform
Our overall view Sometimes recommended We’d love to see more people working on this issue. But you might be able to do even more good working on one of our top priority problem areas. See the scores for all problems we've investigated. --> Profile depth Exploratory That's the end of the summary. The main problem profile begins now. Why might voting reform be a pressing issue? We often elect our
[Problem profile] “Land use reform” by Robert Wiblin
Local laws often prohibit the construction of dense new housing, which drives up prices, especially in a few large high-wage urban areas. The increased prices transfer wealth from renters to landowners and push people away from centers of economic activity Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:25) Our overall view(02:15) What is this problem and how much does it matter?(02:20) What is our analysis based
[Skill profile] “Experience with an emerging power (especially China)” by Benjamin Todd, Benjamin Hilton
China will likely play an especially influential role in determining the outcome of many of the biggest challenges of the next century. India also seems very likely to be important over the next few decades, and many other non-western countries — for example, Russia — are also major players on the world stage. A lack of understanding and coordination between all these countries and the West means
[Article] “Applying an unusual skill to a needed niche” by Benjamin Todd
If you already have a strong existing skill set, is there a way to apply that to one of the key problems? If there's any option in which you might excel, it's usually worth considering, both for the potential impact and especially for the career capital; excellence in one field can often give you opportunities in others. This is even more likely if you're part of a community that's coordinating or
[Skill profile] “Programming” by Benjamin Hilton
Learning programming will let you apply your skills to high-impact specialisms like software engineering, information security or technical AI safety research. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:34) Key facts on fit(00:53) Why is a programming skill set valuable?(01:28) What does building a programming skill set involve?(02:53) How to evaluate your fit(02:57) How to predict your fit in advance(03:37)
[Career review] “AI hardware” by Erich Grunewald
For the right person, gaining and applying AI hardware skills to risk-reducing AI governance work could be their most impactful option. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(03:38) Pros(03:53) Cons(04:13) Key takeaways on fit(04:48) Recommended(04:57) Review status(05:03) Why might becoming an expert in AI hardware be high impact?(11:02) Want one-on-one advice on pursuing this path?(11:23) What does working
US policy master’s degrees
Working in policy is among the most effective ways to have a positive impact in key fields. Getting a policy master’s degree can be a big help in this path. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:12) Summary of Part 1(01:16) What's the value of a master's for policy work?(01:47) If I want to do a master's, when should I do it?(02:31) What are the best graduate degrees for policy work?(03:18) Where should
[Article] “Working in US AI policy” by Niel Bowerman
The US Government is likely to be a key actor in how advanced AI is developed and used in society. Learn more about this career path. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:12) Summary(02:56) The aims of AI policy(04:11) Advanced AI as a coordination problem(05:22) Definitions: artificial general intelligence and other types of advanced AI system(06:14) Key actors(08:02) Which parts of AI policy do we thi
[Article] “How many lives does a doctor save? (Part 1)” by Gregory Lewis
This is Part 1 of an updated version of a classic three-part series of 80,000 Hours blog posts. You can also read updated versions of Part 2 and Part 3. You can still read the original version of the series published in 2012. Doctors have a reputation as do-gooders. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(03:13) Is medicine a determinant of health?(09:26) Medical care (and medical careers) in context(13:31) A
[Article] “How many lives does a doctor save? (Part 2)” by Gregory Lewis
Is medicine the most promising career path if you want to do good? This series of posts examines the impact of being a doctor in terms of saving lives. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(03:58) Confounding and causation(05:27) The real number is almost surely lower(07:23) How my chequebook beat my stethoscope(11:02) How many lives does a doctor save? (Part 3)(11:14) Learn more: The original text containe
[Article] “How many lives does a doctor save? (Part 3)” by Gregory Lewis
This is Part 3 of an updated version of a classic three-part series of 80,000 Hours blog posts. You can also read updated versions of Part 1 and Part 2. You can still read the original version of the series published in 2012. It's fair to say working as a doctor does not look that great so far. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:17) Doing doctoring better(03:42) Go where doctors are needed most(06:46)
[Problem profile] “Global priorities research” by Roman Duda
Global priorities research seeks to use new methods to determine in which causes funding to improve the world can have the biggest impact, and make a convincing case about this to people in a position to redirect large amounts of money. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:13) How would you spend $500 billion?(01:54) Summary(02:25) Our overall view(03:36) What is global priorities research?(04:15) Found
[Career review] “Information security in high-impact areas” by Jarrah Bloomfield
As the 2016 US presidential campaign was entering a fractious round of primaries, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chair, John Podesta, opened a disturbing email.This account is based on public reporting of the incident in outlets including Vox, Vice, and CNN.The March 19 message warned that his Gmail password had been compromised and that he urgently needed to change it.The email was a lie. It wasn’t t
[Article] “Expected value: how can we make a difference when we’re uncertain what’s true?” by Benjamin Todd
A brief introduction to what expected value is, how we can use it to work out what's best to do, and some of the main objections to it. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:16) What is expected value?(02:05) Why use expected value?(03:31) Expected value is a theoretical ideal, not a practical methodology(05:20) Is expected value all that matters?(06:09) Expected value and risk(08:00) Objections to using
[Career review] “Journalism” by Cody Fenwick
In a nutshell: For the right person, becoming a journalist could be very impactful. Good journalists help keep people informed, positively shape public discourse on important topics, and can provide a platform for people and ideas that the public might not otherwise hear about.But the most influential positions in the field are highly competi\ve, and journalists face a lot of mixed incentives that
[Article] “This could be the most important century” by Robert Wiblin
Will the future of humanity be wild, or boring? It's natural to think that if we're trying to be sober and measured, and predict what will really happen rather than spin an exciting story, it's more likely than not to be sort of... dull. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(05:44) Read the full series(06:33) Learn more(07:27) What are the most pressing world problems?(07:39) Enter your email and we’ll mail
[Article] “Longtermism: a call to protect future generations” by Cody Fenwick
It would be better for the future if we avoid extinction, manage our resources carefully, foster institutions that promote cooperation rather than violent conflict, and responsibly develop powerful technology. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(02:38) The case for longtermism(05:08) 1. We should care about how the lives of future individuals go(07:35) 2. The number of future individuals whose lives matte
[Career review] “Earning to give in quantitative trading” by Benjamin Todd
We think most people's highest-impact options involve working directly on solving pressing global problems. But if you want to focus on having an impact by donating part of your income (earning to give) and will thrive in a quantitative trading role Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:41) Sometimes recommended — personal fit dependent(00:53) Review status(00:58) Why earning to give in quantitative trad
[Article] “Why and how to earn to give” by Benjamin Todd
Some people have skills that are better suited to earning money than the other strategies. These people can take a higher earning career and donate the money to effective organisations. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(02:21) What is earning to give?(03:47) Why earn to give?(04:39) It gives you flexibility.(05:47) You may be able to have a greater impact through earning to give.(08:39) Earning to give
[Article] “Is it ever OK to take a harmful job in order to do more good? An in-depth analysis” by Benjamin Todd, William MacAskill
Why you should avoid harmful jobs, even if you’ll do more good. We look at how to analyse the situation and common options, like finance, law, and oil. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(02:18) Negative impact is unavoidable(05:04) Why to avoid careers with significant negative impact, even if you think you'll do more good(06:10) 1. It might violate rights (non-consequentialist reasons)(07:32) 2. It's pr
[Article] “Ways people trying to do good accidentally make things worse, and how to avoid them” by Robert Wiblin, Benjamin Todd
The recording may not reflect the most recent changes to this article.We advise people to work on problems that are important but neglected, and to try to increase the contribution they’re able to have.These steps make it easier to have a big impact, but they also increase your potential to make things worse: the more important the problem, the worse it is to set it back; the more neglected an are
[Problem profile] “Improving decision making in key institutions” by The 80,000 Hours team
Governments and other important institutions frequently have to make complex, high-stakes decisions based on the judgement calls of just a handful of people. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(00:15) Summary(00:38) Our overall view(02:33) What is this issue?(06:03) What parts of the problem seem most promising to work on?(06:45) Forecasting(12:17) Prediction aggregators and prediction markets(14:37) Deci
[Article] “In which career can you make the biggest contribution?” by Benjamin Todd
One of the most common career paths for people who want to do good is healthcare. So we worked with a doctor, Greg Lewis, to estimate the number of lives saved by a typical clinical doctor in the UK. Greg estimated that the average doctor enables the people they treat to live several hundred years of extra healthy life over the course of their career -- equivalent to saving several lives. This is
What others have said about 80,000 Hours
Media highlights Want to do more good? This movement might have the answer, TIME
What's the best job to do good?, BBC Radio 4
Can Your Career Help Change the World? You Have 80,000 Hours to Try, The Wall Street Journal
How to pick a career that counts: A simple guide to choosing a career where you can make an impact, Vox
To help save the world, become a banker not a doctor, The Economist
Don't fol
[Article] “Be more ambitious: a rational case for dreaming big (if you want to do good)” by Benjamin Todd
Self-help often says you should be more ambitious. This isn't always good advice. But if you want to do good, here are 4 reasons it makes sense. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:40) In a nutshell: why to be more ambitious(02:54) What do we mean by being more ambitious?(04:05) Four reasons to be more ambitious(04:45) 1. A small chance of achieving a lot can still be worth a great deal (and much more
[Article] “What is social impact? A definition” by Benjamin Todd
The recording may not reflect the most recent changes to this article.Lots of people say they want to “make a difference,” “do good,” “have a social impact,” or “make the world a better place” — but they rarely say what they mean by those terms.By getting clearer about your definition, you can better target your efforts. So how should you define social impact?Over two thousand years of philosophy
[Problem profile] “Reducing global catastrophic biological risks” by Bella Forristal
Plagues throughout history suggest the potential for biology to cause global catastrophe. This potential increases in step with the march of biotechnological progress. Global Catastrophic Biological Risks (GCBRs) may compose a significant share of all global catastrophic risk, and, if so, a credible threat to humankind.Despite extensive existing efforts addressed to nearby fields like biodefense a
[Article] “Doing good together: how to coordinate effectively and avoid single-player thinking” by Benjamin Todd
When we work together, we can do far more good in the world. We cover the basics of coordination and practical tips for doing it more effectively. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(03:32) The bottom line(05:46) Theory: what are the mechanisms behind coordination?(06:41) Single-player communities and their problems(15:41) Market communities(20:33) How to avoid coordination failures in self-interested com
[Article] “The best solutions are far more effective than others” by Benjamin Todd
Most solutions to social problems don’t actually work very well. Narrated by AI. ---Outline:(01:27) How much do solutions differ in how well they work?(06:53) Technical aside: theoretical arguments about how much solutions differ(08:13) What do these findings imply?(09:03) So, how can we find the most effective solutions in an area?(09:09) Hits-based vs data-driven approaches(12:36) What does taki
