According to one recent estimate, there are one sextillion animals on Earth that may be sentient, most living in the wild. Yet wild animal welfare is neglected by intergovernmental bodies such as the IPCC. This talk discusses the importance and difficulty of developing a framework for evaluating interventions targeted at improving wild animal welfare. It considers how a model recently developed by Rethink Priorities might be used to quantify wild animal welfare and discusses different theories of population value, identifying sources of uncertainty. It ends with a discussion of preventing the spread of wild animal suffering to other planets. Tim Campbell is a philosopher and research fellow at the Institute for Futures Studies (IFFS) in Stockholm and the Mimir Center for Long Term Futures Research. His research focuses on topics in ethics related to population change, personal identity over time, whole brain emulation, and, most recently, wild animal welfare. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6b7XRoaq8Q

Darren Margolias, Executive Director of ‪@BeastPhilanthropy‬, answers questions from EA Forum users, posted here: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/7QfKaF2bnCbuREJNx/ama-beast-philanthropy-s-darren-margolias/ Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ylphNrBjWI

How do narratives affect people and cultures? What role do they play in our attempts to do good? What are the risks and pitfalls to avoid when trying to use stories for positive impact? In this talk, Timon shares some of the key insights he gains from exploring the science of narrative impact and persuasion, and what it takes to craft a story that enriches lives. Timon Renzelmann has an engineering background and a recent Master's in Sustainable Energy Engineering. For the last 3-4 years, alongside his academic studies, he explores the science of narrative impact and what it means for positive impact. He also enjoys writing and reading fiction and is a keen tennis player. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO4SioAF-zA

AI systems deceiving humans, particularly about their alignment, pose significant challenges for ensuring their safety. Olli Järviniemi talks about his recent research on the deceptive tendencies of language models: will LLMs take deceptive actions without external instruction or pressure to do so? The basic approach is to create a realistic simulation environment and naturally provide opportunities for deception. The focus of this talk is on the experimental setup and results, with some discussion of future research directions. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynF8QuyO_9Q

In this talk, Maria addresses why it is crucial for the Effective Altruism community to think beyond the 80,000 Hours Job Board and embrace a variety of career paths to enhance our collective impact. Discover the board’s selection process and learn how to apply these principles to find opportunities in your local context, moving beyond the typical UK, US, and remote listings. Gain practical tips for getting started and learn how to overcome the ""approval stamp"" effect that may restrict your career options. Additionally, we discuss how members of local groups can support each other in searching for diverse career paths. Maria serves as the Community and Event Manager at Effective Altruism Norway. Her extensive involvement with the Norwegian Effective Altruism community includes co-founding both Gi Effektivt and EA Norway. Prior to her current role, Maria was a Job Board Curator and Designer at 80,000 Hours and the Managing Director of Gi Effektivt. Additionally, she has experience as a service designer in both the private and public sectors. Maria holds a degree in Industrial Design Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZyzeg_6_hc

In this talk, Kristian Rönn delves into the compelling notion that humanity’s gravitation towards short-term success and solutions poses a significant threat to our long-term survival and alignment with our deepest values. Dubbing this phenomenon the “Darwinian trap,” Rönn outlines how it underpins many of today’s most pressing issues—from the degradation of our workplaces to the global catastrophic threats of nuclear war, climate change, and artificial intelligence. He posits that by fostering cooperation and adopting principles from accounting—to accurately assess, track, and manage what truly matters—we can evade evolutionary traps, i.e., short-term successes and solutions that pose a significant threat to our long-term survival amidst the accelerating pace of technological advancement. Kristian left the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University to found the carbon accounting company Normative in 2014. His expertise in mathematics, philosophy, computer science, and AI has led to speaking engagements at notable forums like COP & Davos. Kristian has provided counsel to governments and international bodies and received recognition from the UNDP for his contribution to UN Goal 13. Google.org has acknowledged Kristian as a “Leader to Watch.” Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NwxJmXwI20

The Norwegian think tank Civita is currently working to raise the debate on how the aid budget can be best spent, and how the Norwegian aid system should be structured. By highlighting the alternate costs and pushing for more systematic use of evidence, the aid budget can reach further and produce better outcomes. Project team member Maria Bakken talks about why evidence is so important in development aid and how we can prioritize better in the field of aid and development. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9ApZkZTwuc

How rich are you really? How much good can giving really do? And why would 8,842 people from 100 countries pledge to donate 10% of their income to effective charities? Join Lucas Moore, Head of Global Coordination at Giving What We Can, in exploring these questions and finding out why it is a mistake not to prioritize giving as part of effective altruism, and how effective giving is the key to unlocking the impact that effective altruism seeks to create. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veg3yfVS1yg

This talk shared about the Taimaka's Project theory of change, outlining their inputs to outcomes and demonstrate how their theory of change improves lives. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npNfScjwc2M

This talk introduced Lafiya Nigeria, a non-profit dedicated to providing women with contraception. It is focused on optimizing cost-effective solutions, making it competitive with GiveWell's top charities in terms of cost-effectiveness. The talk shared about the Lafiya Nigeria model and the lessons that have been learned so far. Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e6p29EmEMU