LessWrong (Curated & Popular) “Epistemic advantages of working as a moderate” by Buck
Aug 22, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Buck, an advocate for affordable AI safety interventions, shares his insights on the merits of moderate engagement in AI advocacy. He highlights how a balanced approach can enhance understanding and improve discourse, contrasting it with the often extreme positions of radicals. Buck argues that moderates face less pressure for complete knowledge, allowing for more impactful contributions. His focus on cheap yet effective strategies sparks a thought-provoking conversation on steering AI development toward safer outcomes.
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Informed Audience Improves Epistemics
- Working as a moderate gives you an informed, intelligent, and thoughtful audience that improves epistemic standards.
- That audience allows deeper engagement and forces you to know details and justify claims carefully.
Let Experts Test Your Claims
- Talk directly to knowledgeable AI company staff and let them check your claims to avoid bullshitting.
- Focus on making arguments you can justify and iterate if interlocutors poke holes in your reasoning.
Less Pressure For Virality Improves Precision
- Moderate work reduces pressure to optimize for virality or coalitional politics, letting you speak precisely to the people who need to hear you.
- This environment makes you more willing to caveat and less incentivized to exude unwarranted confidence.