Background and Definition of Evals

The podcast episode delves into the concept of evaluations (evals) as a promising intervention for reducing existential risk from AI. Evaluation methods are discussed, with a focus on differentiating quantitative benchmarks that provide quick results from more time-consuming, precise evaluations. The speaker highlights the importance of having a dedicated team tasked with assessing models, identifying potential risks, and implementing safety measures. The goal is to develop concrete evaluations and standards that can determine if a model poses an existential risk.