Personal thoughts on careers in AI policy and strategy

Abstract

The AI policy and strategy space is currently bottlenecked by entangled and under-defined research questions that are extremely difficult to resolve, as well as by a lack of current institutional capacity to absorb and utilize new researchers effectively. This makes it difficult for many talented individuals to contribute directly to the field, even those who are very needed. In particular, there is a need for researchers skilled in “disentanglement research” – a type of research that involves identifying and clarifying the core concepts, questions, and methodologies in a “pre-paradigmatic” area. It is also important to build up the institutional capacity of organizations working in AI strategy and policy. Given these limitations, those interested in contributing to AI policy and strategy should focus on developing the skills and knowledge that will be most valuable in the future. These include building a career in a position of influence (especially in government, global institutions, or in important tech firms) and acquiring expertise in areas like international relations, Chinese politics, and forecasting. – AI-generated abstract.