Update on the Open Philanthropy Project (Holden Karnofsky)
Dec 23, 2018
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Holden Karnofsky, Philanthropist and Co-Founder of the Open Philanthropy Project, discusses the concept of 'hit-based giving', criminal justice grants, biosecurity, AI risks, self-evaluation, money allocation, and farm animal welfare funding in East Asia.
The Open Philanthropy Project focuses on 'hits' or high-impact grants, hiring experts, and developing frameworks for cause prioritization and self-evaluation.
The organization is actively involved in criminal justice reform, supporting progressive prosecutors and sentencing reform, as well as farm animal welfare campaigns against corporations to promote cage-free practices.
The Open Philanthropy Project prioritizes investments in scientific research, including cancer and virus diagnostics, biosecurity, pandemic preparedness, and AI safety and reliability, while recognizing the need for cause prioritization, self-evaluation, and hiring generalists to enhance decision-making frameworks.
Deep dives
Focus on Open Philanthropy Project
The speaker discusses the Open Philanthropy Project and its evolution from GiveWell. The Open Philanthropy Project focuses on finding the best ways to give away money to make the most impact. It differs from GiveWell in that it is more focused on making grants that transform organizations and hiring experts in specific fields. The organization aims to go for 'hits' or high-impact grants, rather than playing it safe. The speaker emphasizes the importance of hiring and developing frameworks for cause prioritization and self-evaluation.
Criminal justice reform and farm animal welfare
The speaker highlights the Open Philanthropy Project's work in criminal justice reform and farm animal welfare. In criminal justice reform, the organization focuses on prosecutorial accountability and supporting progressive prosecutors who prioritize balancing benefits and reducing incarceration rates. They also support the Alliance for Safety and Justice's efforts in sentencing reform. In farm animal welfare, they fund campaigns against corporations to promote cage-free practices. The speaker explains the organization's interest in reducing the suffering of animals and the challenges in comparing the impact of helping humans and animals.
Scientific research, biosecurity, and advanced AI
The Open Philanthropy Project is involved in scientific research, particularly in supporting breakthroughs that could have a significant social impact. They have made investments in cancer and virus diagnostics and emphasize the importance of biosecurity and pandemic preparedness. Additionally, the organization recognizes the potential risks of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and supports research in AI safety and reliability. They also have a fellows program for early career AI scientists. The speaker highlights the need for cause prioritization, self-evaluation, and hiring generalists to make informed decisions and enhance the organization's frameworks.
Importance of Multipliers
The podcast discusses the concept of multipliers and their importance in maximizing the impact of charitable giving. The speaker explains that multipliers can be obtained through various means such as giving to charities that are more effective than others, supporting public goods that have wide-reaching benefits, and addressing global catastrophic risks. The speaker highlights GiveWell as an example of an organization that achieves a multiplier by focusing on overseas direct aid, while Open Philanthropy takes a different approach by initially concentrating on policy advocacy within a familiar context. The potential benefits of combining both approaches are also explored.
Funding Farm Animal Welfare in East Asia
The podcast episode delves into Open Philanthropy's efforts to fund and promote farm animal welfare in East Asia, specifically in China. The speaker describes their strategy of supporting individuals and organizations who are passionate about this cause, even if their initiatives may not have an immediate path to impact. Examples of activities funded include anti-leather campaigns, advocating vegetarianism, and facilitating brainstorming sessions. The speaker also acknowledges the long-term nature of their work in East Asia, expecting it to take several years or even decades before significant outcomes are seen. The aim is to develop the movement for farm animal welfare in a region where Open Philanthropy is the sole funder in this area.
Effective Altruism is a social movement dedicated to finding ways to do the most good possible, whether through charitable donations, career choices, or volunteer projects. EA Global conferences are gatherings for EAs to meet. You can also listen to this talk along with its accompanying video on YouTube.
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