Steven Byrnes

Steven Byrnes is a Research Fellow at the Astera Institute, where he conducts research at the intersection of neuroscience and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) Safety.1 He has a Physics PhD from UC Berkeley and previously worked as a physicist in academia and industry before transitioning to AGI Safety research.1

Byrnes focuses on challenges related to creating safe and beneficial brain-like AGI systems. He argues that understanding brain algorithms is crucial for addressing potential risks associated with future AGI development.12 His work involves exploring how to ensure AGI systems have prosocial motivations and behave in ways aligned with human values.14

Some key aspects of Byrnes' research and perspectives include:

1. Advocating for a deeper understanding of brain algorithms to inform AGI safety efforts.24
2. Proposing a two-subsystem model of the brain, consisting of a "Learning Subsystem" and a "Steering Subsystem".3
3. Emphasizing the importance of understanding the algorithms underlying human intelligence to develop safe AGI systems.5

Byrnes shares his insights through blog posts, talks, and podcasts, including his "Intro to Brain-Like-AGI Safety" blog series.45