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Rob Bensinger
Communications Lead at MIRI
Rob Bensinger is the Head of Research Communications at the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), a nonprofit organization focused on artificial intelligence research. He has been with MIRI since November 2013, initially serving as a Visiting Fellow and later progressing through roles such as Research Assistant and Outreach Coordinator before becoming the Head of Research Communications in March 2016.12
Bensinger's educational background includes a Bachelor's degree in the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology from Indiana University Bloomington, which he completed between 2008 and 2013.13 His research interests span value theory, moral psychology, consciousness, technological forecasting, and cognitive biases, reflecting a strong philosophical foundation that informs his work in AI safety and communication.23
In his current role, Bensinger is responsible for communicating MIRI's research activities and strategies to both the public and policymakers. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the risks associated with advanced AI systems and advocates for measures to mitigate these risks.45
Highlights
What do you call it when you can't ideological-turing-test someone because they're only able to endorse their own view by not looking closely at it
"Humans do this weird thing called 'empathy' where they basically have a seizure and start thinking they're a totally different person. Some humans can even have these seizures and think they're a dog, or an inanimate object. And they're addicted to these seizures and think they're a cornerstone of their civilization and purpose in life, even though they're constantly giving up food and sex and power opportunities as a result of the seizures! It would be fascinating if it weren't so sad."
