EA Forum Podcast (Curated & popular)

This is a link post.<p> AI capabilities have improved remarkably quickly, fuelled by the explosive scale-up of resources being used to train the leading models. But if you examine the scaling laws that inspired this rush, they actually show extremely poor returns to scale. What's going on?</p><p> AI Scaling is Shockingly Impressive</p><p> The era of LLMs has seen remarkable improvements in AI capabilities over a very short time. This is often attributed to the AI scaling laws — statistical relationships which govern how AI capabilities improve with more parameters, compute, or data. Indeed AI thought-leaders such as Ilya Sutskever and Dario Amodei have said that the discovery of these laws led them to the current paradigm of rapid AI progress via a dizzying increase in the size of frontier systems.</p><p> Before the 2020s, most AI researchers were looking for architectural changes to push the frontiers of AI forwards. The idea that scale alone was sufficient to provide the entire range of faculties involved in intelligent thought was unfashionable and seen as simplistic.</p><p> A key reason it worked was the tremendous versatility of text. As Turing had noted more than 60 years earlier, almost any challenge that one could pose to [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> January 30th, 2026 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/the-scaling-paradox?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/the-scaling-paradox</a> </p> <p><strong>Linkpost URL:</strong><br><a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/out?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tobyord.com%2Fwriting%2Fthe-scaling-paradox" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tobyord.com/writing/the-scaling-paradox</a></p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/wkuwqiigcsbqwcgpq23u" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/wkuwqiigcsbqwcgpq23u" alt="Two scatter plots showing "o1 AIME accuracy during training" and "o1 AIME accuracy at test time" versus compute on log scale." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/ynpe4iioo8di0wpqj6gp" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/ynpe4iioo8di0wpqj6gp" alt="Three graphs showing relationships between test loss and compute, dataset size, and parameters with power law scaling equations." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/shvvsuwofncaqx4stpj3" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/shvvsuwofncaqx4stpj3" alt="Graph showing compute required versus accuracy, with exponential growth curve." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/vee5a9ttz0tfvuh8ieiz" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/vee5a9ttz0tfvuh8ieiz" alt="Graph showing training loss versus FLOPS for different model parameter sizes." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/fqtruxinmtnrcmtdieb6" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/742xJNTqer2Dt9Cxx/fqtruxinmtnrcmtdieb6" alt="Clock icon equals bicycle icon, two hundred." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q

<p> EA thinking is thinking on the margin. When EAs prioritise causes, they are prioritising causes given the fact that they only control their one career, or, sometimes, given that they have some influence over a community of a few thousand people, and the distribution of some millions or billions of dollars. </p><p> Some critiques of EA act as if statements about cause prioritisation are absolute rather than relative. I.e. that EAs are saying that literally everyone should be working on AI Safety, or, the flipside, that EAs are saying that no one should be working on [insert a problem which is pressing, but not among the most urgent to commit the next million dollars to]. </p><p> In conversations that sound like this, I've often turned to the idea that, if EAs controlled all the resources in the world, career advisors at the hypothetical world government's version of 80,000 Hours would be advising some people to be postal workers. Given that the EA world government will have long ago filled the current areas of direct EA work, it could be the single most impactful thing a person could do with their skillset, given the comparative neglectedness of work in the [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> January 16th, 2026 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/MZ5g33fXuxd6bSgJW/if-ea-ruled-the-world-career-advisors-would-tell-some-people?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/MZ5g33fXuxd6bSgJW/if-ea-ruled-the-world-career-advisors-would-tell-some-people</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> There is an insane amount of money being thrown around by international organizations and agreements. Nobody with any kind of power over these agreements is asking basic EA questions like: "What are the problems we're trying to solve?" "What are the most neglected aspects of those problems?" and "What is the most cost-effective way to address those neglected areas?"</p><p> As someone coming from an EA background reading through plans for $200-700 billion in annual funding commitments that focus on unimaginative and ineffective interventions, it makes you want to tear your hair out. So much good could be done with that money.</p><p> EA focuses a lot on private philanthropy, earning-to-give (though less so post-SBF), and the usual pots of money. But why don't we have delegations who are knowledgeable in international diplomacy going to COPs and advocating for more investment in lab-grown meat, alternative proteins, or lithium recycling? It seems like there would be insane alpha in such a strategy.</p><p><strong> An example: The Global Biodiversity Framework</strong></p><p> The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted in 2022 to halt biodiversity loss. It has 23 targets, commitments of $200 billion annually by 2030 and $700 billion by 2050, and near-universal adoption from [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(01:12) An example: The Global Biodiversity Framework</p><p>(02:13) What Is That Money Actually Being Spent On?</p><p>(03:02) The Elephant in the Room Literally Nobody is Talking About: Beef</p><p>(04:21) The Absolutely Insane Funding Gap</p><p>(05:26) The Leverage Point Were Ignoring</p><p>(06:47) What Would EA Engagement Look Like?</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> January 20th, 2026 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/Peaq4HNhn8agsZY3z/why-isn-t-ea-at-the-table-when-usd121-billion-gets-allocated?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/Peaq4HNhn8agsZY3z/why-isn-t-ea-at-the-table-when-usd121-billion-gets-allocated</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> I've started a substack, so a few more people might encounter my spicy takes - I'll still mostly be here.<br> <br> USAID is gone. Direct country aid to low income countries is down 25%. So now's a great time to share five ways I think development charity can be done better in 2026.</p><p> To state the obvious... none of these ideas will be the best approach all of the time, there's plenty of grey area and nuance. I start a little playful, then get a little more serious.<br> </p><p><strong> 1. Ditch the Cars</strong></p><p> Close your eyes and picture the first thing that comes into your head when I say “NGO”. It might be………… a shiny white Landcruiser</p><p> The view from the front window of my hut</p><p> But owning cars doesn’t usually make economic sense in low income countries. The ‘real’ market makes this clear. Business rarely buy cars, instead they use public transport or motorbikes. When companies do own cars, its more Corolla than Landcruiser as well.<br> <br> Cars are often more expensive dollar-for-dollar than in richer countries, fuel cost are high and many NGOs hire drivers, all while public transport is dirt cheap. To move 100km in Uganda [...]</br></br></p></br></p></br></br></p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:43) 1. Ditch the Cars</p><p>(02:49) 2. Fund Solutions not Projects</p><p>(07:07) 3. Fund cost effective solutions</p><p>(08:06) 4. Fund Bimodal - Test and Scale</p><p>(11:59) 5. Pay workers less</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> January 19th, 2026 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/LvE3s6kCJk4Jck2ww/5-ways-to-better-charity-work-in-2026?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/LvE3s6kCJk4Jck2ww/5-ways-to-better-charity-work-in-2026</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/LvE3s6kCJk4Jck2ww/wzjih3uzbioalthiydkz" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/LvE3s6kCJk4Jck2ww/wzjih3uzbioalthiydkz" alt="Fleet of white NGO vehicles parked outside headquarters building." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/LvE3s6kCJk4Jck2ww/qktzfj4ptvfndu61ydhd" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/LvE3s6kCJk4Jck2ww/qktzfj4ptvfndu61ydhd" alt="LinkedIn post by Hannah McCandless discussing ROI and cost-effectiveness in funding allocation." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/LvE3s6kCJk4Jck2ww/tkkxx85bfoxy9owud2sr" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/LvE3s6kCJk4Jck2ww/tkkxx85bfoxy9owud2sr" alt="Text quote about building delivery systems at scale for those in need." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<h3 data-internal-id="Summary">Summary</h3><p> In January 2025, FarmKind ran a provocative media campaign which used controversial media messaging and materials to promote ‘offsetting’ as an option for individuals who are concerned about factory farming but are currently unwilling or unable to change their diet.</p><p> The campaign raised an estimated $16,700--$59,300 (explained in our Results section below) and generated a number of media ‘hits’ including TV and created some debate that many advocates have told us they found productive. However we made mistakes in its execution and generated unproductive controversy within the EA and animal advocacy movements.</p><p> This post aims to explain our theory of change, what happened, what we got wrong, and what we learned.</p><p> We still believe mobilizing the meat-eating majority to take action for farmed animals requires meeting them where they're at, which sometimes means provocative framing that distinguishes us from vegan advocacy -- though we understand many in the movement disagree. However, we regret specific execution failures, particularly our insufficient stakeholder consultation, which risks sparking infighting within the animal movement.</p><h3 data-internal-id="Context">Context</h3><p> FarmKind is a donation platform that aims to bring more money into the movement against factory farming. People donate through our platform directly to six highly effective farmed [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:12) Summary</p><p>(01:23) Context</p><p>(02:06) The goals of our campaign</p><p>(02:51) Primary goals</p><p>(03:16) Secondary goals</p><p>(04:06) How we envisaged it working</p><p>(05:24) Launching the campaign</p><p>(07:18) Coordination with Veganuary</p><p>(07:22) Did you tell Veganuary about the campaign in advance?</p><p>(08:21) Did Veganuary object to the campaign?</p><p>(09:07) Is there bad blood between you and Veganuary?</p><p>(09:50) Does Veganuary endorse this campaign?</p><p>(10:13) What we got wrong</p><p>(10:16) 1) Underestimating the risk of movement infighting</p><p>(12:29) 2) Insufficient stakeholder consultation</p><p>(13:11) 3) Internal coordination failures</p><p>(13:52) How we responded to concerns</p><p>(17:20) Results</p><p>(20:12) FAQs</p><p>(20:15) Are you anti-vegan?</p><p>(22:35) Aren't you concerned about dissuading people from being vegan?</p><p>(26:07) Have you measured whether you're dissuading people from being vegan or supporting animal advocacy?</p><p>(29:03) Why not just do something much more nuanced?</p><p>(29:45) Why did you pitch to tabloids and right-wing outlets?</p><p>(30:50) Conclusion</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> January 23rd, 2026 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/c2buSr3oatKQJZi6F/reflections-on-farmkind-s-january-media-campaign?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/c2buSr3oatKQJZi6F/reflections-on-farmkind-s-january-media-campaign</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/c2buSr3oatKQJZi6F/thnym4z05nkaovadrnet" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/c2buSr3oatKQJZi6F/thnym4z05nkaovadrnet" alt="Table showing eligible donors, retention rate, and implied lifetime across 17 months." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p><strong> Summary</strong></p><ul> <li> Our new book, All the Lives You Can Change: Effective Altruism for Christians, will be published in April 28 2026</li><li> The book introduces effective altruism–style thinking to a Christian audience, framing effectiveness, cause prioritization, and evidence-based action as expressions of loving God and loving one's neighbor (Matt. 22:37–39)</li><li> Authored by @dominicroser, @DavidZhang and me (JD).</li><li> You can best support this project by pre-ordering a copy or free intro here</li></ul><p><strong> Praise for All the Lives You Can Change</strong></p><p> “Effective altruism asks us to extend our empathy beyond our immediate circle to include distant strangers and future generations. All the Lives You Can Change argues powerfully that this ‘radical empathy’ is at the very core of the Christian faith. Inspiring, intellectually rigorous, and deeply practical, this is an essential guide for Christians who want to ensure their compassion translates into the greatest possible impact for the world's most vulnerable people. It's a beautiful, moving book.”</p><p> — @William_MacAskill, author of What We Owe the Future and Doing Good Better</p><p> “I couldn’t put this book down. It manages to be both inspiring and practical. It blends cutting-edge research with careful theological discussion. . . . Essential reading for Christians who are [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:12) Summary</p><p>(00:49) Praise for All the Lives You Can Change</p><p>(02:50) Longer Summary</p><p>(04:30) About the book</p><p>(04:55) Table of Contents (Overview)</p><p>(06:31) Why This Might Be Relevant to the (Secular) EA Community</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> January 14th, 2026 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/E7RqRc3fLNm2syzAh/announcing-all-the-lives-you-can-change?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/E7RqRc3fLNm2syzAh/announcing-all-the-lives-you-can-change</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/E7RqRc3fLNm2syzAh/jqcvdh4q4i7dfqnrq2ha" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/E7RqRc3fLNm2syzAh/jqcvdh4q4i7dfqnrq2ha" alt="The hearts represent all the lives you can change, applying EA-style thinking to doing good." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/E7RqRc3fLNm2syzAh/waiuainvn1h0uqwijbs7" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/E7RqRc3fLNm2syzAh/waiuainvn1h0uqwijbs7" alt="That's me! (JD). Next time you see me in my natural habitat (at EA conferences, rounding up Christians) please say hi!" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> TL;DR</p><ul> <li> When surveyed, the EA community and leaders think ~18-24% of resources should go towards animal advocacy. The actual figure is about 7%.</li><li> We as the EA ecosystem are putting less resources (money and time) into animal advocacy than the movement thinks we should when surveyed.</li><li> This disparity could be because of loss of message fidelity, it's a harder cause area to pitch donors, or the role of large funders, but I'm honestly not too sure.</li></ul><p> My job at Senterra Funders involves making the case to EA/EA adjacent prospective donors that they can do a tonne of good by donating to animal advocacy charities. As part of this work I’ve noticed a certain level of inconsistency in the EA ecosystem: I encounter a lot more people who want the animal advocacy movement to 'win' than people working in or donating to the space.</p><h4 data-internal-id="The_numbers">The numbers</h4><p data-internal-id="The_numbers">It turns out this intuition is backed up by survey data.</p><p> Sources (see Appendix for extra details):</p><ul> <li> Meta Coordination Forum (MCF; 2024) / Talent Need Survey on ideal allocation of financial resources</li><li> EA Community survey data from 2023 on jobs by cause area I obtained in private correspondence with David Moss.</li><li> Historical EA [...]</li></ul> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(01:07) The numbers</p><p>(02:37) Accounting for the disparity</p><p>(05:04) Appendix 1. Data Sources</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> January 13th, 2026 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/FxZdQJXs45fTFnMEe/is-ea-underfunding-animal-advocacy-according-to-our-own?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/FxZdQJXs45fTFnMEe/is-ea-underfunding-animal-advocacy-according-to-our-own</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/07548469e3af99ce4aed6a8ede4518cd1941b279f0c64b8071c2749f2cdc2554/jbeblwkjqwhq7gwz4awp" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/07548469e3af99ce4aed6a8ede4518cd1941b279f0c64b8071c2749f2cdc2554/jbeblwkjqwhq7gwz4awp" alt="Bar chart comparing donation percentages across X-risk, Global health, Animal advocacy, Meta, and Other categories." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/20637e4d1eee351b025d0e8426b851006d0af8698b3c9d60.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/20637e4d1eee351b025d0e8426b851006d0af8698b3c9d60.png" alt="Violin plot comparing percentage distributions across four risk categories with means labeled." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/99049d913af4d1968c0283931725f0edac325524000b9ee1.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/99049d913af4d1968c0283931725f0edac325524000b9ee1.png" alt="Violin plot showing distribution of cause areas, with percentages ranging from 3% to 26.8%." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/fd092a73094abeca9e7277732b7f762d54292a4a063fcbad.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/fd092a73094abeca9e7277732b7f762d54292a4a063fcbad.png" alt="Graph showing preferred resource allocation percentages across six different causes with confidence intervals." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/a5dce4368ed71e3b43532bb4e160718c9e5f4da3bbea79a0b33c4201cd528244/e0efy18q8tk09sme3de0" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/

<p><strong> Thank you</strong></p><p> At EAGx Amsterdam, I shared most of this as a talk. I was afraid I'd run out of time, so I decided to do things backwards and start with the thank you. I did not want to miss the most important thing. Since I might lose you halfway reading this long and personal piece, I decided to keep this order. </p><p> The EA community creates a space that makes it easier to donate and to live my values—and to be okay with living in this world. It normalizes caring about effectiveness and spreadsheets, provides frameworks and research and feedback. This community makes me feel less alone in trying to navigate the absurdity and burden of existence.</p><p><strong> My Story, Not Yours</strong></p><p> I am assuming that anything I do is determined by luck and circumstance, nature and nurture. Therefore, one way to explain why I donate is to show you some of those things. This is personal; my story might not be applicable or relatable to you. I’m not sure there's anything practical you can learn from it. But maybe my experience raises questions that help you in your giving journey. </p><p> First I’ll tell you about my life [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:10) Thank you</p><p>(00:53) My Story, Not Yours</p><p>(01:39) My life</p><p>(08:01) I donate because it helps others</p><p>(08:17) It's my responsibility to do something</p><p>(09:23) I should do good responsibly</p><p>(10:20) I donate because it helps me</p><p>(10:30) Retail Therapy Donation Therapy Effective Giving</p><p>(12:39) Convenience of effective giving</p><p>(14:06) This is how I can live the lives I wont get to live</p><p>(15:16) How I Donate</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 31st, 2026 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/why-i-donate-a-personal-story?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/why-i-donate-a-personal-story</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/fajkpy53wi14t7ihg0hw" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/fajkpy53wi14t7ihg0hw" alt="Left: my father Dré, his brother Lou, their mother Celestine (and an unidentified dog and girl). Right: my mother Ria, her parents Anna and Henk." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/il7zezzw2t0teqkt2dcm" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/il7zezzw2t0teqkt2dcm" alt="1978, Groningen: Stien at 0" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/pj66b8lpepxol1gaa5qr" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/pj66b8lpepxol1gaa5qr" alt="1988: Stien at 10, loving animals" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/zppbjnscxbfonj6osmzs" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/zppbjnscxbfonj6osmzs" alt="1998: Stien at 20, nihilistic about animals" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/mkzfi8qshlortrtqz2yu" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/bRMQB85KXz6uzqXkf/mkzfi8qshlortrtqz2yu" alt="2008: Stien at 30,

<p> An all too common reason I’ve seen to “quit EA” is disliking aspects of the community. Maybe “they’re” too focused on the “wrong cause area” or are skeptical of yours. Maybe “they” annoy you. Maybe “they” publicly attacked you. </p><p> I’m putting quotation marks around “they” to highlight an important thing: EA is composed of individuals. </p><p> Some EAs may annoy you / focus on the "wrong cause area" / publicly attack you / [insert your reason here]. </p><p> But you don’t have to hang out with them! </p><p> Imagine you decided you didn’t like science because you didn’t like some scientists. Or even most scientists! </p><p> That might affect the frequency you go to science conferences. But that shouldn’t affect your appreciation of science itself.</p><p> Yes, science is a community, but it's also a practice, a goal, a method, an idea, results. EA is too. </p><p> Not to mention - you don’t have to interact with most scientists! Or EAs! You can just be picky. </p><p> I only interact with “most EAs” when I post on the EA Forum or the EA subreddit. Otherwise I’ve found my favorite EAs and hangout with them regularly. I treat them as [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 28th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/QPtimJrGBRyqiYzip/don-t-stop-being-an-ea-because-you-dislike-eas-you-don-t?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/QPtimJrGBRyqiYzip/don-t-stop-being-an-ea-because-you-dislike-eas-you-don-t</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> Note: I used LLMs to draft different parts of this. I've checked almost everything, but there might be some mistakes remaining.</p><p> Apologies for posting this on Christmas Eve. I wanted to get this out the door before the end of the year. Questions welcome, and if it's easy to pull metrics to answer them, I will.</p><h4 data-internal-id="Summary">Summary</h4><p> 80,000 Hours launched a video program in 2025 focused on longform, cinematic, personality-driven content about AI risks. Our first two longform releases were:</p><ul> <li> We're Not Ready for Superintelligence (the "AI 2027" video): 8.9M views, ~1.4M watch hours</li><li> If you remember one AI disaster, make it this one (the "MechaHitler" video): 2.7M views, ~419K watch hours</li></ul><p> Both videos significantly outperformed our expectations (we'd anticipated 15-50K views for the first). The cost per engagement hour ($0.11 and $0.39 respectively, including staff time) compares favorably to other 80,000 Hours programs.</p><p> This post covers: what we spent, what we got, why we think it worked, and what we'd do differently.</p><h4 data-internal-id="The_numbers">The numbers</h4><h5 data-internal-id="Costs">Costs</h5>CategoryAI 2027MechaHitlerDirect costs~$50K~$64KStaff hours~450 hrs~450 hrs (Note, I’m assuming it's about the same as for AI 2027, I didn't re-ask people how much time they spent.)Total cost (making some assumptions about we should incorporate staff [...] <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:34) Summary</p><p>(01:33) The numbers</p><p>(01:36) Costs</p><p>(02:16) Timing</p><p>(02:40) Results</p><p>(03:46) How valuable is a video watch hour?</p><p>(04:24) Qualitative Feedback</p><p>(04:28) AI 2027</p><p>(05:51) MechaHitler</p><p>(06:12) YouTube commenters like:</p><p>(06:52) What the comments don't like:</p><p>(07:17) Qualitative Analysis</p><p>(07:21) Why we think AI 2027 did well</p><p>(09:56) Why MechaHitler did less well (but still well)</p><p>(10:50) Lessons Learned</p><p>(10:54) Overall what we think matters</p><p>(11:25) Our guess at what's less important (though we're certainly unsure, maybe if we nailed these, we'd get more success)</p><p>(12:24) How our production works</p><p>(12:43) The timeline</p><p>(13:32) Ideation</p><p>(14:06) Scripting</p><p>(14:57) Shooting</p><p>(15:31) Reshoots / Voiceover</p><p>(15:45) Editing</p><p>(16:06) Launch</p><p>(17:00) What we're still figuring out</p><p>(17:36) Closing thoughts</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 24th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/RCRaBYSqBaMzHzTjF/untitled-retrospective-and-learnings-from-ai-in-context-s?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/RCRaBYSqBaMzHzTjF/untitled-retrospective-and-learnings-from-ai-in-context-s</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/RCRaBYSqBaMzHzTjF/oz9tu9nezie334ckphnx" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/RCRaBYSqBaMzHzTjF/oz9tu9nezie334ckphnx" alt="Line chart showing two metrics declining from October to December 2025." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> I really enjoyed reading the "why I donate" posts in the past week, so much so that I felt compelled to add my reflections, in case someone finds my reasons as interesting as I found theirs.</p><p><strong> 1. My money needs to be spent on something, might as well spend it on the most efficient things</strong></p><p> The core reason I give is something that I think is under-represented in the other posts: the money I have and earn will need to be spent on something, and it feels extremely inefficient and irrational to spend it on my future self when it can provide >100x as much to others.</p><p> To me, it doesn't seem important whether I'm in the global top 10% or bottom 10%, or whether the money I have is due to my efforts or to the place I was born. If it can provide others 100x as much, it just seems inefficient/irrational to allocate it to myself.</p><p> Honestly, the post could end here, but there are other secondary reasons/perspectives on why I personally donate that I haven't seen commonly discussed.</p><p><strong> 2. Spending money is voting on how the global economy allocates its resources</strong></p><p> In 2017, I read Wealth [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:22) 1. My money needs to be spent on something, might as well spend it on the most efficient things</p><p>(01:09) 2. Spending money is voting on how the global economy allocates its resources</p><p>(04:11) 3. I dont think its as bad as some make it out to be</p><p>(07:35) 4. I donate because Im an atheist (/s)</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 15th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/CSKob9hGmWM7f7yv8/i-give-because-it-s-the-most-rational-way-to-spend-my-money?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/CSKob9hGmWM7f7yv8/i-give-because-it-s-the-most-rational-way-to-spend-my-money</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> This year, I have given money to a range of EA cause areas. Most of it has either been towards global health and development, or EA infrastructure I believe does or could lead to effective fundraising for global health and development.</p><p> The following are a list of very selfish personal reasons why I like to do this. I feel the selfless reasons have been adequately covered elsewhere, so I'm intentionally leaving them off.</p><p><strong> I get to ignore ineffective charity adverts.</strong></p><p> In order to genuinely convince myself that I am helping, I want to see things like well-regarded cost-effectiveness metrics. I do not like heartstring-tugging advertising or vague statements of "should", particularly to do with orphanages. They make me feel a bit ill. So I am glad that donating effectively gives me a very good justification to ignore them.</p><p><strong> It is a marker of my politics.</strong></p><p> I don't believe that poor people I don't know in rich countries are 100× more worthy of my help [i.e. worthy of help that's 100× less cost-efficient] than poor people in poor countries. This is because I don't believe anyone is 100× more worthy than anyone. Choosing to donate based on the cost-effectiveness of [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:36) I get to ignore ineffective charity adverts.</p><p>(01:02) It is a marker of my politics.</p><p>(01:36) Giving expresses abundance.</p><p>(02:32) Ive stopped valuing things by how expensive they are.</p><p>(03:17) People have stopped (openly) judging me about some of my life choices.</p><p>(03:56) I get to hang out with cool people and be in the cool kids club.</p><p>(04:16) It helps me genuinely care about helping people.</p><p>(04:37) It motivates me at my job.</p><p>(05:01) By giving effectively, I can do great things.</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 12th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/84PYRzFCeqZGfgv3N/why-i-donate-some-selfish-reasons?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/84PYRzFCeqZGfgv3N/why-i-donate-some-selfish-reasons</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> Note: This post was crossposted from the Coefficient Giving Farm Animal Welfare Research Newsletter by the Forum team, with the author's permission. The author may not see or respond to comments on this post.</p><p> It can feel hard to help factory-farmed animals. We’re up against a trillion-dollar global industry and its army of lobbyists, marketeers, and apologists. This industry wields vast political influence in nearly every nation and sells its products to most people on earth.</p><p> Against that, we are a movement of a few thousand full-time advocates operating on a shoestring. Our entire global movement — hundreds of groups combined — brings in less funds in a year than one meat company, JBS, makes in two days.</p><p> And we have the bigger task. The meat industry just wants to preserve the status quo: virtually no regulation and ever-growing demand for factory farming. We want to upend it — and place humanity on a more humane path.</p><p> Yet, somehow, we’re winning. After decades of installing battery cages, gestation crates, and chick macerators, the industry is now removing them. Once-dominant industries, like fur farming, are collapsing. And advocates are building momentum toward bigger reforms for all farmed animals.</p><p> Here are [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 16th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/qTnsqYrmSTHawTNa6/ten-big-wins-in-2025-for-farmed-animals?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/qTnsqYrmSTHawTNa6/ten-big-wins-in-2025-for-farmed-animals</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/qTnsqYrmSTHawTNa6/g9d6bqwwrrxj58u0m1sq" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/qTnsqYrmSTHawTNa6/g9d6bqwwrrxj58u0m1sq" alt="Over 1,300 companies globally have now fulfilled their pledges to go cage-free. Source: the Open Wing Alliance." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/qTnsqYrmSTHawTNa6/khbuwcx8kop3ylpnsc9f" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/qTnsqYrmSTHawTNa6/khbuwcx8kop3ylpnsc9f" alt="The world’s governments have now invested over $2B into supporting alternative proteins. Source: Good Food Institute." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/qTnsqYrmSTHawTNa6/ayfkkufxwlob3infjbrv" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/qTnsqYrmSTHawTNa6/ayfkkufxwlob3infjbrv" alt="Happy holidays! May you enjoy as much relaxation as our dog Hope does sunbathing." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p><strong> Conscious Meaning</strong></p><p> We share every moment with trillions of other conscious beings. Some are much like us, and others experience the world very differently. Creatures without a language to structure their thoughts, some who see broader spectrums of light or others who might experience the world in comparative slow motion. Each conscious moment immediately slips into the past largely unobserved and forgotten. They fall through time like snow to become frozen in the past. Always to have happened just as they did.</p><p> Each conscious moment is transient and one small part of a vast whole, so one could see any individual as meaningless and insignificant. But every conscious moment is imbued with meaning. Happiness that need not justify itself and pains that consume any desire but to escape them. </p><p> As individuals, we are not responsible for the state of the world. You did not choose to create disease, poverty and mental illness. You can’t control nature, and you can’t control the society around you. </p><p> Many schools of philosophy disagree exactly on what our moral obligations are to others. Given this disagreement, we could default to radical scepticism that all attempts to decide what the right way to [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:11) Conscious Meaning</p><p>(02:06) Ovarian lottery</p><p>(03:49) The Good we can do</p><p>(05:18) Creating Balance</p><p>(06:13) Voluntary Simplicity</p><p>(08:12) Setting Salary based on the Worlds average income</p><p>(10:12) Appendix: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 11th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/wd7XsSwqWCzd2uzhq/the-further-pledge-voluntary-simplicity?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/wd7XsSwqWCzd2uzhq/the-further-pledge-voluntary-simplicity</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> The Giving What We Can research team is excited to share the results of our 2025 round of evaluations of charity evaluators and grantmakers! </p><p> In this round, we completed two evaluations that will inform our donation recommendations for the 2025 giving season. As with our previous rounds, there are substantial limitations to these evaluations, but we nevertheless think that they are a significant improvement to a landscape in which there were previously no independent evaluations of evaluators’ work. </p><p> In this post, we share the key takeaways from our two 2025 evaluations and link to the full reports. In our conclusion, we explain our plans for future evaluations. </p><p> Please also see our website for more context on why and how we evaluate evaluators.</p><p> We look forward to your questions and comments! (Note: we will respond when we return from leave on the 8th of December)</p><p><strong> Key takeaways from each of our 2025 evaluations</strong></p><p> The two evaluators included in our 2025 round of evaluating evaluators were:</p><ul> <li> GiveWell (full report)</li><li> Happier Lives Institute (full report)</li></ul><p><strong> GiveWell</strong></p><p> Based on our evaluation, we have decided to continue including GiveWell's Top Charities, Top Charities Fund and All Grants Fund in GWWC's [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(01:08) Key takeaways from each of our 2025 evaluations</p><p>(01:25) GiveWell</p><p>(03:18) Happier Lives Institute (HLI)</p><p>(06:29) Conclusion and future plans</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 1st, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/sAiHYuuGGT7qvne5P/gwwc-s-2025-evaluations-of-evaluators?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/sAiHYuuGGT7qvne5P/gwwc-s-2025-evaluations-of-evaluators</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> And Effective Altruism has put my faith community to shame<br> <br> The Beginning</p><p data-internal-id="ftnt_ref10">When I became a Christian age 15 my life began to transform, but sadly my first external play was proclaiming no sex before marriage and saying F#$% a bit less (I’ve since resumed).<br> <br> Two years later at premed, Tuesday was my only night with no tutorial so I joined a church group, which was weirdly labelled “Social Justice”. I had zero clue what this was aboutt, maybe preventing bullying at school?. Our leader Jo opened with a question I’ll never forget.<br> <br> “I’m fundraising for World Vision and I told my chain-smoking friend I’ll buy him a pack of cigs if he joins the fundraising effort. Do you guys think that's OK?”<br> <br> As we discussed the conundrum for the next hour my heart jumped a little. Perhaps my time, skills and money could be useful for something more than just a comfortable life in the ‘burbs…</p><h4 data-internal-id="ftnt_ref10">Why do I Give?</h4><p data-internal-id="ftnt_ref10">“When you give….” Jesus <br> <br> Christian motivations for giving vary wildly. Some mostly give to keep their church club solvent, others to save face, but most have deeper motivations. Here are mine.</p><h5 data-internal-id="ftnt_ref10"><br> [...]</br></h5></br></br></p></br></br></br></br></br></br></p></br></br></p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(01:06) Why do I Give?</p><p>(01:24) Gratitude and Joy</p><p>(02:24) Utilitarian</p><p>(03:14) More to come?</p><p>(03:49) Christians aren't great at Giving</p><p>(04:04) Father of Earning to Give?</p><p>(05:07) We're not much better</p><p>(06:08) Effective Altruist Giving Impresses me</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 10th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/QrQ9jwFSNoEdd373f/i-donate-because-i-am-christian?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/QrQ9jwFSNoEdd373f/i-donate-because-i-am-christian</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> I keep thinking about what kind of identity would be useful for building a powerful animal advocacy movement. Here are 3 features of veganism that I often think about which make me doubt its usefulness.</p><h4 data-internal-id="Too_maximalist">Too maximalist</h4><p> The official definition of veganism by the inventors of the term is the following:</p><p> “Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose”</p><p> This basically amounts to "avoid doing bad things as far as possible." The threshold sits right below what is impossible. I think that is way too ambitious. Doing the best possible thing at every circumstance shouldn’t be the criterion for inclusion to a social movement. We don't expect human rights activists to avoid all forms of exploitation and cruelty as far as possible to qualify as human rights activists.</p><p> Some activists respond "No, veganism is the bare minimum. The 'as far as possible and practicable' part means it's not about being perfect.". But when I ask for examples of gratuitously harmful actions that veganism doesn't forbid, at most I hear about instances of accidental uses [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:22) Too maximalist</p><p>(03:37) No space for believers to sin</p><p>(04:29) Too behaviour-focused</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 26th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/BX8hPeye2QRcyftRk/3-doubts-about-veganism?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/BX8hPeye2QRcyftRk/3-doubts-about-veganism</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> People working in the AI industry are making stupid amounts of money, and word on the street is that Anthropic is going to have some sort of liquidity event soon (for example possibly IPOing sometime next year). A lot of people working in AI are familiar with EA, and are intending to direct donations our way (if they haven't started already). People are starting to discuss what this might mean for their own personal donations and for the ecosystem, and this is encouraging to see.</p><p> It also has me thinking about 2022. Immediately before the FTX collapse, we were just starting to reckon, as a community, with the pretty significant vibe shift in EA that came from having a lot more money to throw around.</p><p> CitizenTen, in "The Vultures Are Circling" (April 2022), puts it this way:</p><p> The message is out. There's easy money to be had. And the vultures are coming. On many internet circles, there's been a worrying tone. “You should apply for [insert EA grant], all I had to do was pretend to care about x, and I got $$!” Or, “I’m not even an EA, but I can pretend, as getting a 10k grant is [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 10th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/vpPee6NgMbPcdsam3/the-funding-conversation-we-left-unfinished?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/vpPee6NgMbPcdsam3/the-funding-conversation-we-left-unfinished</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> Summary: Anthropic has many employees with an EA-ish outlook, who may soon have a lot of money. If you also have that kind of outlook, money donated sooner will likely be much higher impact. </p><p> It's December, and I'm trying to figure out how much to donate. This is usually a straightforward question: give 50%. But this year I'm considering dipping into savings. </p> <p> There are many EAs and EA-informed employees at Anthropic, which has been very successful and is reportedly considering an IPO. The Manifold market estimates a median IPO date of June 2027: </p> <p> At a floated $300B valuation and many EAs among their early employees, the amount of additional funding could be in the billions. Efforts I'd most want to support may become less constrained by money than capacity: as I've experienced in running the NAO, scaling programs takes time. This means donations now seem more valuable; ones that help organizations get into a position to productively apply further funding especially so. </p> <p> In retrospect I wish I'd been able to support 80,000 Hours more substantially before Open Philanthropy Coefficient Giving began funding them; this time, with more ability to see what's likely [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 3rd, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/rRBaP7YbXfZibSn3C/front-load-giving-because-of-anthropic-donors?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/rRBaP7YbXfZibSn3C/front-load-giving-because-of-anthropic-donors</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> Ronny Chieng strikes again, this time featuring Peter Wildeford and the risks from AI on the Daily Show: </p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 5th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/epuSKFdGD82cxZAGd/peter-wildeford-talks-about-risks-from-ai-on-the-daily-show?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/epuSKFdGD82cxZAGd/peter-wildeford-talks-about-risks-from-ai-on-the-daily-show</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> I’ve spoken with hundreds of entomologists at conferences the world over. While there's clearly some self-selection (not everyone wants to talk to a philosopher), my experience is consistent: most think it's reasonable to care about the welfare of insects. Entomologists don’t regard it as the last stop on the crazy train; they don’t worry they’re getting mugged; they don’t think the idea is just utilitarianism run amok. Instead, they see some concern for welfare as stemming from a common-sense commitment to being humane in our dealings with animals.</p><p> Let's be clear: they embrace “some concern,” not “bugs have rights.” Entomologists generally believe it's important to do invasive studies on insects, to manage their populations, to kill them to document their diversity. But given the choice between an aversive and a non-aversive way of euthanizing insects, most prefer the latter. Given the choice between killing fewer insects and more, most prefer fewer. They don’t want to end good lives unnecessarily; they don’t want to cause gratuitous suffering.</p><p> It wasn’t always this way. But the science of sentience is evolving; attitudes are evolving too. These people work with insects every day; they constantly face choices about how to catch insects, how [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 23rd, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/4FncrGhQKcuFthxiR/caring-about-bugs-isn-t-weird?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/4FncrGhQKcuFthxiR/caring-about-bugs-isn-t-weird</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> We, the AIM Board and outgoing CEO Joey Savoie, are delighted to announce that Samantha Kagel has been selected as AIM's new CEO, effective December 1, 2025. </p><p> Over the last few months, we have been engaged in a highly important activity: finding AIM's next CEO. This was not an easy position to fill, as we sought someone who could lead the organization to high growth and impact while retaining the core elements that have made AIM unique.</p><p> We were committed to conducting a thorough search and put out a public call for candidates, considering over 100 applicants from both public applications and referrals. We evaluated external candidates, internal team members, and past charity graduates, and ultimately identified Samantha as the candidate whom we believe will best execute the next stages of AIM's development.</p><p><strong> About Samantha</strong></p><p> Samantha has served on AIM's executive team as Chief Programs Officer for the past 1.5 years, leading the strategy and delivery of our Charity Entrepreneurship function. In this role, she has demonstrated exceptional capability across multiple dimensions: building collaborative teams, driving strategic execution, and maintaining unwavering focus on impact.</p><p> Before joining the executive team, Samantha successfully filled nearly every role across our organization [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(01:00) About Samantha</p><p>(02:13) A note from our incoming CEO, Samantha Kagel</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> December 1st, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/r8GSGnay6scK7Jmb5/announcing-the-new-aim-ceo?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/r8GSGnay6scK7Jmb5/announcing-the-new-aim-ceo</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/415cbe784a60abb05d7094f8d8ffe662bbd6b5be0b0967d2.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/415cbe784a60abb05d7094f8d8ffe662bbd6b5be0b0967d2.png" alt="Handing over the keys to the castle, or in this case, the whole castle" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> Cross-posted from Good Structures.</p><p> For impact-minded donors, it's natural to focus on doing the most cost-effective thing. Suppose you’re genuinely neutral on what you do, as long as it maximizes the good. If you’re donating money, you want to look for the most cost-effective opportunity (on the margin) and donate to it.</p><p> But many organizations and individuals who care about cost-effectiveness try to influence the giving of others. This includes:</p><ul> <li> Research organizations that try to influence the allocation or use of charitable funds.</li><li> Donor advisors who work with donors to find promising opportunities.</li><li> People arguing to community members on venues like the EA Forum.</li><li> Charity recommenders like GiveWell and Animal Charity Evaluators.</li></ul><p> These are endeavors where you’re specifically trying to influence the giving of others. And when you influence the giving of others, you don’t get full credit for their decisions! You should only get credit for how much better the thing you convinced them to do is compared to what they would otherwise do.</p><p> This is something that many people in EA and related communities take for granted and find obvious in the abstract. But I think the implications of this aren’t always fully digested by the [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(03:34) Impact is largely a function of what the donor would have done otherwise.</p><p>(04:36) Is improving the use of effective or ineffective charitable dollars easier?</p><p>(06:14) How do people respond to these lower impact interventions?</p><p>(08:14) What are the implications of paying a lot more attention to funding counterfactuals?</p><p>(10:21) Objections to this argument.</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 12th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/YrMFHJm7mbswJd7Me/the-overall-cost-effectiveness-of-an-intervention-often?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/YrMFHJm7mbswJd7Me/the-overall-cost-effectiveness-of-an-intervention-often</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> Today we’re announcing a new cluster headache advocacy and research initiative: ClusterFree</p><p> Learn more about how you (and anyone) can help.</p><h3 data-internal-id="Our_mission">Our mission</h3><p> ClusterFree's mission is to help cluster headache patients globally access safe, effective pain relief treatments as soon as possible through advocacy and research.</p><p> Cluster headache (also known as ‘suicide headache’) is considered the most painful condition known to mankind. We believe it is one of the largest sources of preventable extreme suffering in humans today. Every year, about 3 million adults (and an unknown number of minors) suffer from this debilitating condition.</p><p> And yet, even in the EU, only 47% of the cluster headache population had unrestricted access to standard treatments (primarily oxygen and triptans) in 2019. Despite affecting a similar number of people as multiple sclerosis, global investment into cluster headache is minuscule.</p><p> At the same time, countless patients have reported previously unattainable relief using certain psychedelics, even at low doses. For example, psilocybin, LSD and 5-MeO-DALT can effectively prevent attacks, and N,N-DMT can abort attacks within seconds and also have some preventative effects. However, these life-saving treatments are inaccessible to the vast majority of patients.</p><p> We want to tackle these problems by:</p><ul> <li> Publishing [...]</li></ul> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:37) Our mission</p><p>(02:32) About us</p><p>(03:22) How you (and anyone) can help</p><p>(04:59) Room for funding</p><p>(06:41) Work with us</p><p>(06:54) Further information</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 21st, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/vzG8wu9b6vuoRxD3z/announcing-clusterfree-a-cluster-headache-advocacy-and?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/vzG8wu9b6vuoRxD3z/announcing-clusterfree-a-cluster-headache-advocacy-and</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/vzG8wu9b6vuoRxD3z/n0wvpuvzwvxjfymudehp" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/vzG8wu9b6vuoRxD3z/n0wvpuvzwvxjfymudehp" alt=""Cluster Free" logo above text: "The world's most painful condition demands urgent action"" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> Big news from Open Philanthropy Coefficient Giving today:</p><p> Today, Open Philanthropy is becoming Coefficient Giving. Our mission remains the same, but our new name marks our next chapter as we double down on our longstanding goal of helping more funders increase their impact. We believe philanthropy can be a far more vital force for progress than it is today; too often, great opportunities to help others go unfunded. As Coefficient Giving, our aim is to make it as easy as possible for donors to find and fund them.</p><p> (For more on how we chose our new name, what's changing, and what's staying the same in this next chapter, see here.)</p><p> The linked essay, from Coefficient CEO Alexander Berger, shares more about the change, our approach to giving, and why we’re focused on growing our work with funders outside of Good Ventures.</p><p> I also wanted to highlight some details that might be of particular interest to a Forum audience. If you have other questions, leave a comment and I’ll do my best to respond!</p><ol> <li> Any changes to your relationship with EA? Nope. While we do lots of work outside traditional EA cause areas, we still see EA as a community [...]</li></ol> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 18th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/vkvtu6xbvfkHPhJkC/open-philanthropy-is-now-coefficient-giving?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/vkvtu6xbvfkHPhJkC/open-philanthropy-is-now-coefficient-giving</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> Note: This post was crossposted from the Open Philanthropy Farm Animal Welfare Research Newsletter by the Forum team, with the author's permission. The author may not see or respond to comments on this post.</p><p> People can’t get enough protein. Fully 61% of Americans say they ate more protein last year — and 85% intended to eat more this year. Last week, dairy giant Danone said it can’t keep up with US demand for its high-protein yogurt. Other food makers are rushing to pack protein into everything from Doritos to Pop-Tarts.</p><p> The craze is global. The net percentage of Europeans wanting more protein has more than doubled since 2023, driven by protein-hungry Brits, Poles, and Spaniards. (The epicurean French and Italians remain holdouts.) Chinese per capita protein supply recently overtook already-high American levels.</p><p> Young people are leading the charge. Across Asia, Europe, and the US, most Gen Z’ers want more protein, suggesting this trend may persist. In one recent British university survey, “protein” was the top reason students gave for not giving up meat. Doctors are also telling the 6 - 10% of Americans now taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs to eat more protein to prevent muscle loss.</p><p> This is [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 5th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/the-protein-problem?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/the-protein-problem</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/sy3pgv891r61acpnkjwv" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/sy3pgv891r61acpnkjwv" alt="Young people want their protein. The same age trend holds in Asia, Europe, and the US. Source: Bain & Company 2025 surveys." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/z2zpyjnl7qn3ii6txcpc" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/z2zpyjnl7qn3ii6txcpc" alt="Correlation doesn’t equal causation. But look at that correlation! Source: Google Trends." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/wvftjuo8d0z9zfpxnxdp" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/wvftjuo8d0z9zfpxnxdp" alt="The highest protein animal products are more protein-dense than the highest protein plant-based products. Source: ChatGPT." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/haztvuw82axk4aomxywm" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/P7NuYbwbMMNTM45Cz/haztvuw82axk4aomxywm" alt="Some animal products cause animals to suffer for much longer than others. These estimates are undercounts because they don’t account for food waste and pre-slaughter mortality — the true numbers are likely about 10 - 50% higher depending on the species. Source: ChatGPT." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> The Center for Wild Animal Welfare (CWAW) is a new policy advocacy organization, working to improve the lives of wild animals today and build support for wild animal welfare policy. We’re now fundraising for our first year, and the next $60,000 will be matched 1:1 by a generous supporter.</p><p> We’ve already started engaging policymakers on wild animal-friendly urban infrastructure (e.g. bird-safe glass). In 2026, we plan to keep engaging on urban infrastructure; start working on additional policy areas like fertility control and pesticide policy; and pursue agenda setting (e.g. publishing a State of Wild Animal Welfare Policy report).</p><p> Wild animal welfare is one of the world's most important and neglected issues. Governments routinely make decisions that affect trillions of wild animals without considering their individual wellbeing. We want to change this: CWAW is one of the first organizations in the world dedicated to ensuring policymakers consider the individual welfare of wild animals. Our focus on near term policy will help wild animals now, and also build future support by proving that wild animal welfare is a legitimate and tractable policy concern.</p><p> CWAW is co-founded by Richard Parr MBE, a former policy adviser to the UK Prime Minister, and Ben [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(02:27) Why support wild animal welfare policy?</p><p>(07:37) What we've achieved already</p><p>(09:38) What we'll do in 2026</p><p>(14:51) How will CWAW use marginal funding?</p><p>(15:45) Who we are</p><p>(16:17) Endorsements</p><p>(18:30) How to help</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 18th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/uko8rxrcmYB54ZnBH/new-donation-opportunity-the-center-for-wild-animal-welfare?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/uko8rxrcmYB54ZnBH/new-donation-opportunity-the-center-for-wild-animal-welfare</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/uko8rxrcmYB54ZnBH/xkbf4x9jffnusvfswn1d" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/uko8rxrcmYB54ZnBH/xkbf4x9jffnusvfswn1d" alt="Grey squirrel perched on tree branch looking right." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> To a first approximation, all farmed animals are bugs. (Recalling, of course, that shrimps is bugs.) We don’t know much about their needs in current production systems. The Arthropoda Foundation is trying to fix that. If we want to help the most numerous farmed animals, we have to answer some basic empirical questions. Arthropoda funds the scientists who provide those answers.</p><p> Good science isn’t cheap, fast, or flashy. But if we don’t fund it, we’re left guessing about the welfare of the most numerous animals on farms (and in the wild). The stakes are too high for guesswork.</p><p> This year, Arthropoda granted out ~$160K to fund seven studies. That's seven studies for at least a trillion farmed animals. (And untold numbers of wild animals.)</p><p> We could easily grant out much more. And with a staff person, we could actively develop projects to support. But as it is, we’re at capacity.</p><p> In its current form, Arthropoda costs about $175K per year, at least 80% of which covers grants. The rest covers costs associated with learning more about the state of the industry, running a small coordination event, and legal compliance with charitable regulations. We’re about $55K short for 2026.</p><p> Anything [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 17th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/mdcSeMwkBEYhdTAWF/to-a-first-approximation-all-farmed-animals-are-bugs?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/mdcSeMwkBEYhdTAWF/to-a-first-approximation-all-farmed-animals-are-bugs</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> It's hard to divide anything 50/50. In many families, even if both parents have paid jobs, one parent will lean into parenting more, and the other will lean harder into paid work.</p><p> In male/female couples it's usually the woman who owns more of the parenting work, and that can feel unfair if the arrangement comes from assumptions rather than a willing choice. </p><p> I want to highlight some counter-examples from the effective altruism space, to show it's really possible to make an intentional choice about who does what.</p><ul> <li> @Jeff Kaufman and I both travel for work, but he's more fearless than I am about having the kids solo. Once while I was at an EA conference during the annual vacation with his side of the family, he took our four-year-old and two-year-old to the beach, and also took his sister's two-year-old because she was working. Then, during this trip where he was responsible for three preschoolers, he potty-trained our toddler. </li><li> My friend has pursued jobs focused on impact, while her husband has a normal job he's not pursuing for altruistic impact. He does more of the childcare while she commutes part of the week to another city [...]</li></ul> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 13th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/m8B5kYHdiz5BiW9qH/some-hardworking-dads-in-ea?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/m8B5kYHdiz5BiW9qH/some-hardworking-dads-in-ea</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://i0.wp.com/juliawise.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/image-3.png?fit=925%2C637&ssl=1" target="_blank"><img src="https://i0.wp.com/juliawise.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/image-3.png?fit=925%2C637&ssl=1" alt="My kid’s drawing of Jeff (in plaid shirt) with her and her sister" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> Long time lurker, first time poster - be nice please! :)</p><p> I was searching for summary data of EA funding trends, but couldn't find anything more recent than Tyler's post from 2022. So I decided to update it. If this analysis is done properly anywhere, please let me know.</p><p> The spreadsheet is here (some things might look weird due to importing from Excel to sheets)</p><p><strong> Observations</strong></p><ul> <li> EA grantmaking appears on a steady downward trend since 2022 / FTX.</li><li> The squeeze on GH funding to support AI / other longtermist priorities appears to be really taking effect this year (though 2025 is a rough estimate and has significant uncertainty.) </li><li> I am really interested in particular about the apparent drop in GW grants this year. I suspect that it is wrong or at least misleading - the metrics report suggests they are raising ~$300m p.a. from non OP donors. Not sure if I have made an error (missing direct to charity donations?) or if they are just sitting on funding with the ongoing USAID disruption.</li></ul><p><strong> Methodology</strong></p><ul> <li> I compiled the latest grants databases from EA Funds, GiveWell, OpenPhilanthropy, and SFF. I added summary level data from ACE.</li><li> To remove [...]</li></ul> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:41) Observations</p><p>(01:26) Methodology</p><p>(02:12) Notes</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 14th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/NWHb4nsnXRxDDFGLy/historical-ea-funding-data-2025-update?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/NWHb4nsnXRxDDFGLy/historical-ea-funding-data-2025-update</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/NWHb4nsnXRxDDFGLy/iqsvmfns148gvhcmghzf" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/NWHb4nsnXRxDDFGLy/iqsvmfns148gvhcmghzf" alt="" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/NWHb4nsnXRxDDFGLy/lojvoqahpmmnsrfbhtqq" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/NWHb4nsnXRxDDFGLy/lojvoqahpmmnsrfbhtqq" alt="" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> Author's note: This is an adapted version of my recent talk at EA Global NYC (I’ll add a link when it's available). The content has been adjusted to reflect things I learned from talking to people after my talk. If you saw the talk, you might still be interested in the “some objections” section at the end. </p><h3 data-internal-id="Summary">Summary</h3><p> Wild animal welfare faces frequent tractability concerns, amounting to the idea that ecosystems are too complex to intervene in without causing harm. However, I suspect these concerns reflect inconsistent justification standards rather than unique intractability. To explore this idea:</p><ul> <li> I provide some context about why people sometimes have tractability concerns about wild animal welfare, providing a concrete example using bird-window collisions.</li><li> I then describe four approaches to handling uncertainty about indirect effects: spotlighting (focusing on target beneficiaries while ignoring broader impacts), ignoring cluelessness (acting on knowable effects only), assigning precise probabilities to all outcomes, and seeking ecologically inert interventions.</li><li> I argue that, when applied consistently across cause areas, none of these approaches suggest wild animal welfare is distinctively intractable compared to global health or AI safety. Rather, the apparent difference most commonly stems from arbitrarily wide "spotlights" applied to [...]</li></ul> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:31) Summary</p><p>(02:15) Consequentialism + impartial altruism → hard to do good</p><p>(03:43) The challenge: Deep uncertainty and backfire risk</p><p>(04:41) Example: Bird-window collisions</p><p>(05:22) We don't actually understand the welfare consequences of bird-window collisions on birds</p><p>(06:08) We don't know how birds would die otherwise</p><p>(07:06) The effects on other animals are even more uncertain</p><p>(09:16) Four approaches to handling uncertainty</p><p>(10:08) Spotlighting</p><p>(15:31) Set aside that which you are clueless about</p><p>(18:31) Assign precise probabilities</p><p>(20:06) Seek ecologically inert interventions</p><p>(22:04) Some objections & questions</p><p>(22:17) The global health comparison: Spotlighting hasnt backfired (for humans)</p><p>(23:22) Action-inaction distinctions</p><p>(25:01) Why should justification standards be the same?</p><p>(26:53) Conclusion</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 14th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/2YjqfYktNGcx6YNRy/if-wild-animal-welfare-is-intractable-everything-is?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/2YjqfYktNGcx6YNRy/if-wild-animal-welfare-is-intractable-everything-is</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> This is a crosspost from my Substack, where people have been liking and commenting a bunch. I'm too busy during my self-imposed version of Inkhaven to engage much – yes, pity me, I have to blog – but I don't want to leave Forum folks out of the loop! </p><p> I’ve been following Effective Altruism discourse since 2014 and involved with the Effective Altruist community since 2015. My credentials are having run Harvard Law School and Harvard University (pan-grad schools) EA, donating $45,000 to EA causes (eep, not 10%), working at 80,000 Hours for three years, and working at a safety-oriented AI org for 10 months after that. I’m also proud of the public comms I’ve done for EA on this blog (here, here, and here), through my 80k podcast series, current podcast series, and through EA career advice talks I’ve given at EAGs and smaller events.</p><p> With that background, you can at least be confident that I am familiar with my subject matter in the takes that follow. As before, let me know which of these seems interesting or wrong and there's a good chance I’ll write them up with you the commenter very much in mind as [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 6th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/s8aNPnrGH2fF3Hkpi/12-theses-on-ea?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/s8aNPnrGH2fF3Hkpi/12-theses-on-ea</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> Cross-post from Good Structures.</p><p> Over the last few years, I helped run several dozen hiring rounds for around 15 high-impact organizations. I've also spent the last few months talking with organizations about their recruitment. I've noticed three recurring themes:</p><p> Candidates generally have a terrible time<br> Work tests are often unpleasant (and the best candidates have to complete many of them), there are hundreds or thousands of candidates for each role, and generally, people can't get the jobs they’ve been told are the best path to impact.</p><p> Organizations are often somewhat to moderately unhappy with their candidate pools<br> Organizations really struggle to find the talent they want, despite the number of candidates who apply.</p><p> Organizations can't find or retain the recruiting talent they want<br> It's extremely hard to find people to do recruitment in this space. Talented recruiters rarely want to stay in their roles.</p><p> I think the first two points need more discussion, but I haven't seen much discussion about the last. I think this is a major issue: recruitment is probably the most important function for a growing organization, and a skilled recruiter has a fairly large counterfactual impact for the organization they support. So why is it [...]</p></br></p></br></p></br></p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(01:33) Recruitment is high leverage and high impact</p><p>(03:33) Organizations struggle to hire recruiters</p><p>(07:52) Many of the people applying to recruitment roles emphasize their experience in recruitment. This isnt the background organizations need</p><p>(08:44) Almost no one is appropriately obsessed with hiring</p><p>(10:29) The state of evidence on hiring practices is bad</p><p>(13:22) Retaining strong recruiters is really hard</p><p>(14:51) Why might this be less important than I think?</p><p>(16:40) Im trying to find people interested in this kind of approach to hiring. If this is you, please reach out.</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 3rd, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/HLktkw5LXeqSLCchH/recruitment-is-extremely-important-and-impactful-some-people?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/HLktkw5LXeqSLCchH/recruitment-is-extremely-important-and-impactful-some-people</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> 16 minute read</p><p> We update our list of Recommended Charities annually. This year, we announced recommendations on November 4.</p><p> Each year, hundreds of billions of animals are trapped in the food industry and killed for food —that is more than all the humans who have ever walked on the face of the Earth.1</p><p> When faced with such a magnitude of suffering, it can feel overwhelming and hard to know how to help. One of the most impactful things you can do to help animals is to donate to effective animal charities—even a small donation can have a big impact. Our goal is to help you do the most good for animals by providing you with effective giving opportunities that greatly reduce their suffering. Following our comprehensive charity evaluations, we are pleased to announce our Recommended Charities!</p>Charities awarded the status in 2025Charities retaining the status from 2024Animal Welfare ObservatoryAquatic Life InstituteShrimp Welfare ProjectÇiftlik Hayvanlarını Koruma DerneğiSociedade Vegetariana BrasileiraDansk Vegetarisk ForeningThe Humane LeagueGood Food FundWild Animal InitiativeSinergia Animal<p> The Humane League (working globally), Shrimp Welfare Project (in Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and India), and Wild Animal Initiative (global) have continued to work on the most important issues for animals [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(03:54) Charities Recommended in 2025</p><p>(03:59) Animal Welfare Observatory</p><p>(05:44) Shrimp Welfare Project</p><p>(07:38) Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira</p><p>(09:41) The Humane League</p><p>(11:22) Wild Animal Initiative</p><p>(13:15) Charities Recommended in 2024</p><p>(13:20) Aquatic Life Institute</p><p>(15:25) Çiftlik Hayvanlarını Koruma Derneği</p><p>(17:34) Dansk Vegetarisk Forening</p><p>(19:18) The Good Food Fund</p><p>(21:19) Sinergia Animal</p><p>(23:20) Support our Recommended Charities</p> <p><i>The original text contained 2 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.</i> </p><p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 4th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/waL3iwczrjNt8PreZ/announcing-ace-s-2025-charity-recommendations?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/waL3iwczrjNt8PreZ/announcing-ace-s-2025-charity-recommendations</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/waL3iwczrjNt8PreZ/w2nfjjypruwrrfkmkatp" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/waL3iwczrjNt8PreZ/w2nfjjypruwrrfkmkatp" alt="Announcement graphic with globe surrounded by animal silhouettes, highlighting 2025 charity recommendations." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/waL3iwczrjNt8PreZ/zxqhydaeqtbxiysw9nvh" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/waL3iwczrjNt8PreZ/zxqhydaeqtbxiysw9nvh" alt="Logos for The Humane League, Animal Welfare Observatory, Shrimp Welfare Project, Wild Animal Initiative, Dansk Vegetarisk Forening, Kafessiz Türkiye, Aquatic Life Institute, Good Food Fund, Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira, and Sinergia Animal." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> (Audio version, read by the author, here, or search for "Joe Carlsmith Audio" on your podcast app.)<br> <br> Last Friday was my last day at Open Philanthropy. I’ll be starting a new role at Anthropic in mid-November, helping with the design of Claude's character/constitution/spec. This post reflects on my time at Open Philanthropy, and it goes into more detail about my perspective and intentions with respect to Anthropic – including some of my takes on AI-safety-focused people working at frontier AI companies.</p><p> (I shared this post with Open Phil and Anthropic comms before publishing, but I’m speaking only for myself and not for Open Phil or Anthropic.)</p><h3 data-internal-id="On_my_time_at_Open_Philanthropy">On my time at Open Philanthropy</h3><p data-internal-id="ftnt_ref2">I joined Open Philanthropy full-time at the beginning of 2019.[1] At the time, the organization was starting to spin up a new “Worldview Investigations” team, aimed at investigating and documenting key beliefs driving the organization's cause prioritization – and with a special focus on how the organization should think about the potential impact at stake in work on transformatively powerful AI systems.[2] I joined (and eventually: led) the team devoted to this effort, and it's been an amazing project to be a part of.</p><p> I remember [...]</p></br></br></p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:51) On my time at Open Philanthropy</p><p>(08:11) On going to Anthropic</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> November 3rd, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/EFF6wSRm9h7Xc6RMt/leaving-open-philanthropy-going-to-anthropic?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/EFF6wSRm9h7Xc6RMt/leaving-open-philanthropy-going-to-anthropic</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> This is the latest in a series of essays on AI Scaling. <br> You can find the others on my site.</p><p> Summary: RL-training for LLMs scales surprisingly poorly. Most of its gains are from allowing LLMs to productively use longer chains of thought, allowing them to think longer about a problem. There is some improvement for a fixed length of answer, but not enough to drive AI progress. Given the scaling up of pre-training compute also stalled, we'll see less AI progress via compute scaling than you might have thought, and more of it will come from inference scaling (which has different effects on the world). That lengthens timelines and affects strategies for AI governance and safety.</p><p> </p><p> The current era of improving AI capabilities using reinforcement learning (from verifiable rewards) involves two key types of scaling:</p><ol> <li> Scaling the amount of compute used for RL during training</li><li> Scaling [...]</li></ol></br></p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(09:12) How do these compare to pre-training scaling?</p><p>(13:42) Conclusion</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 22nd, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/how-well-does-rl-scale?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/how-well-does-rl-scale</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/rroqzdlnwd9umtbaabhh" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/rroqzdlnwd9umtbaabhh" alt="Two scatter plots showing AIME accuracy during training and testing periods. Both charts demonstrate performance improvement as computational resources increase." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/zfrfdactzimwnz7cxcxd" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/zfrfdactzimwnz7cxcxd" alt="Bar graph titled "Ludicrous rate of progress" comparing Grok versions' compute efficiency." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/ysc36ugs4kswlaiitadw" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/ysc36ugs4kswlaiitadw" alt="Graph showing AIME 2025 performance versus estimated inference costs for different models." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/vrp1lk4xxpygjqfzokgu" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/vrp1lk4xxpygjqfzokgu" alt="Two graphs showing "o1 AIME accuracy" during training and testing times." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/kj4wkrnq0ytsnsd7evis" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/kj4wkrnq0ytsnsd7evis" alt="Graph showing Math level 5 performance with base model and RL post-training." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/i4jhzhkkqagke7i0tt9b" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/TysuCdgwDnQjH3LyY/i4jhzhkkqagke7i0tt9b" alt="Graph comparing GPT-5 and OpenAI o3 software engineering accuracy versus token output." style="max-width:

<p> TL;DR: I took the 🔸10% Pledge in 2016 and haven’t kept to it consistently. I’ve decided not to pay the backlog donations, and instead to recommit fresh from today, with simple systems to keep me on track. Sharing this for transparency and in the hope it may be helpful to others</p><p> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</p><p><strong> Why I’m posting</strong></p><p> In 2016, as a university student, I took the Giving What We Can 10% Pledge. I made my pledge publicly, and my social media profiles show the 🔸10% Pledge badge. For integrity's sake, I want to be equally public that I fell short—and [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:29) Why I'm posting</p><p>(00:52) What happened</p><p>(01:53) Going forward</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 28th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/3vcpERphsumgEzqeB/recommitting-to-giving-a-personal-update?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/3vcpERphsumgEzqeB/recommitting-to-giving-a-personal-update</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> Many thanks to @Felix_Werdermann 🔸 @Engin Arıkan and @Ana Barreiro for your feedback and comments on this, and for the encouragement from many people to finally write this up into an EA forum post.</p><p> For years, much of the career advice in the Effective Altruism community has implicitly (or explicitly) suggested that impact = working at an EA nonprofit. That narrative made sense when the community and its talent pool were smaller. But as EA grows, it's worth reassessing whether we’re overconcentrating on nonprofit careers, a trend that may be limiting our community's impact and leaving higher-leverage opportunities on the table.</p><p><strong> Why Now?</strong></p><p> As the EA movement has grown, it has attracted far more talent than the nonprofit sector can realistically absorb. This creates an urgent need to develop alternative pathways for talented, mission-aligned people. Under the current status quo, many end up feeling frustrated after going through multiple [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:51) Why Now?</p><p>(02:06) Important Caveats</p><p>(03:20) The argument for roles outside of non-profits</p><p>(03:25) Institutions Dwarf Nonprofit Capacity</p><p>(05:19) Salaries Are Covered Outside the Movement</p><p>(06:12) Counterfactual Impact Is Often Greater</p><p>(06:57) A Healthier Distribution of Talent</p><p>(07:54) Why This Might Be Wrong Advice</p><p>(08:24) The Challenges of External Roles</p><p>(10:13) Why These Risks Still Seem Worth Taking</p><p>(10:57) Why Steering Everyone Toward Nonprofits Might Hurt the EA Community</p><p>(11:03) Nonprofit Roles Are Saturated</p><p>(11:27) Nonprofits Have Low Absorbency</p><p>(12:24) Too Many Advising Channels, One Bottlenecked Funnel</p><p>(12:49) Nonprofits are not a good fit for everyone, and they may be a much better fit for roles in other sectors.</p><p>(13:31) Important Final Caveats</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 16th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/FAmCmCavZ5vTzbRcM/why-many-eas-may-have-more-impact-outside-of-nonprofits-in?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/FAmCmCavZ5vTzbRcM/why-many-eas-may-have-more-impact-outside-of-nonprofits-in</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p><strong> Summary</strong></p><ul> <li> As part of our ongoing work to study how to best frame EA, we experimentally tested different phrases and sentences that CEA were considering using on effectivealtruism.org.</li></ul><p> Doing Good Better taglines</p><ul> <li> We observed a consistent pattern where taglines that included the phrase ‘do[ing] good better’ received less support from respondents and inspired less interest in learning about EA.</li><li> We replicated these results in a second experiment, where we confirmed that taglines referring to “do[ing] good better” performed less well than those referring to “do[ing] the most good”.</li></ul><p> Nouns and sentences</p><ul> <li> Nouns: The effect of using different nouns to refer to EA was small, but referring to EA as a ‘philosophy’ or ‘movement’ inspired the most curiosity compared to options including ‘project’ and ‘research field’.</li><li> Sentences: “Find the most effective ways to do good with your time, money, and career” and “Effective altruism asks the question of how we [...]</li></ul> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:12) Summary</p><p>(01:23) Method</p><p>(02:18) Taglines (Study 1)</p><p>(03:40) Doing Good Better replication (Study 2)</p><p>(05:23) Sentences (Study 1)</p><p>(06:45) Nouns (Study 1)</p><p>(07:41) Effectiveness focus</p><p>(07:55) Conclusion</p><p>(08:56) Acknowledgments</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 27th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/Y6zMpdwkkAQ8rF56w/framing-ea-doing-good-better-did-worse?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/Y6zMpdwkkAQ8rF56w/framing-ea-doing-good-better-did-worse</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/QwYABYreipfuhwWmF/w4mrhpqszrsqtjqu9oge" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/QwYABYreipfuhwWmF/w4mrhpqszrsqtjqu9oge" alt=""Rethink Priorities" logo" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/e44348c196548178d0b8bd0917881b0f6166624986cc8748.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/e44348c196548178d0b8bd0917881b0f6166624986cc8748.png" alt="Graph showing ratings of different Effective Altruism (EA) learning-focused sentences." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/216430d9ba7fb7c0b45396c3e760d39ade329ba584e7f6e5.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/216430d9ba7fb7c0b45396c3e760d39ade329ba584e7f6e5.png" alt="Graph showing effectiveness ratings of different EA-related taglines, with confidence intervals." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/ceb2abffcd615c6194c848e118c8ff3387604bc67952b93b.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/ceb2abffcd615c6194c848e118c8ff3387604bc67952b93b.png" alt="Chart showing ratings of different taglines about helping others and doing good." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/dda98e43d47159f6f557f0da213ba3782abfb57d9c7df320.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/dda98e43d47159f6f557f0da213ba3782abfb57d9c7df320.png" alt="Line graph comparing support ratings between "doing good better" vs "doing the most good"" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlf

This is a link post.<p> In Ugandan villages where non-governmental organisations (NGOs) hired away the existing government health worker, infant mortality went up.</p><p> This happened in 39%[1] of villages that already had a government worker. The NGO arrived with funding and good intentions, but the likelihood that villagers received care from any health worker declined by ~23%.</p><p><strong> Brain Misallocation</strong></p><p> “Brain drain”, - the movement of people from poorer countries to wealthier ones, has been extensively discussed for decades[2]. But there's a different dynamic that gets far less attention: “brain misallocation”.</p><p> In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the brightest talents are being incentivised towards organisations that don’t utilise their potential for national development. They’re learning how to get grants from multilateral alphabet organisations rather than build businesses or make good policy. This isn’t about talent leaving the country. It's about talent being misdirected and mistrained within it.</p><p><strong> Examples</strong></p><p> Nick Laing [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:36) Brain Misallocation</p><p>(01:16) Examples</p><p>(05:37) The Incentive Trap</p><p>(07:48) When Help Becomes Harm</p><p>(08:48) Conclusion</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 23rd, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/6rmdyddEateJFWb4L/the-charity-trap-brain-misallocation?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/6rmdyddEateJFWb4L/the-charity-trap-brain-misallocation</a> </p> <p><strong>Linkpost URL:</strong><br><a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/out?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgdea.substack.com%2Fp%2Fthe-charity-trap-brain-misallocation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://gdea.substack.com/p/the-charity-trap-brain-misallocation</a></p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

This is a link post.<p> Biological risks are more severe than has been widely appreciated. Recent discussions of mirror bacteria highlight an extreme scenario: a single organism that could infect and kill humans, plants, and animals, exhibits environmental persistence in soil or dust, and might be capable of spreading worldwide within several months. In the worst-case scenario, this could pose an existential risk to humanity, especially if the responses/countermeasures were inadequate.</p> <p> Less severe pandemic pathogens could still cause hundreds of millions (or billions) of casualties if they were engineered to cause harm. Preventing such catastrophes should be a top priority for humanity. However, if prevention fails, it would also be prudent to have a backup plan.</p> <p> One way of doing this would be to enumerate the types of pathogens that might be threatening (e.g. viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc), enumerate the subtypes (e.g. adenoviruses, coronaviruses, paramyxoviruses, etc), analyze the [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(04:20) PPE</p><p>(09:56) Biohardening</p><p>(14:36) Detection</p><p>(17:00) Expression of interest and acknowledgements</p> <p><i>The original text contained 34 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.</i> </p><p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 2nd, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/33t5jPzxEcFXLCPjq/the-four-pillars-a-hypothesis-for-countering-catastrophic?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/33t5jPzxEcFXLCPjq/the-four-pillars-a-hypothesis-for-countering-catastrophic</a> </p> <p><strong>Linkpost URL:</strong><br><a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/out?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdefensesindepth.bio%2Fthe-four-pillars-a-hypothesis-for-countering-catastrophic-biological-risk%2F" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://defensesindepth.bio/the-four-pillars-a-hypothesis-for-countering-catastrophic-biological-risk/</a></p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> I’ve used the phrase “entertainment for EAs” a bunch to describe a failure mode that I’m trying to avoid with my career. Maybe it’d be useful for other people working in meta-EA, so I’m sharing it here as a quick draft amnesty post. </p><p> There's a motivational issue in meta-work where it's easy to start treating the existing EA community as stakeholders. The real stakeholders in my work (and meta-work in general) are the ultimate beneficiaries — the minds (animal, human, digital?) that could benefit from work I help to initiate. But those beneficiaries aren’t present to me — they aren’t my friends, they don’t work in the same building as me. To keep your eyes on the real prize takes constant work. </p><p> When that work slips, you could end up working on ‘entertainment for EAs’, i.e. something which gets great feedback from EAs, but only hazily, if [...]</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 17th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/AkSDhiPuvnRNbjXAf/entertainment-for-eas?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/AkSDhiPuvnRNbjXAf/entertainment-for-eas</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> All quotes are from their blog post "Why we chose to invest another $100 million in cash transfers", highlights are my own: </p><p> Today, we’re announcing a new $100 million USD commitment over the next four years to expand our partnership with GiveDirectly and help empower an additional 185,000 people living in extreme poverty. We’re also funding new research, and pilot variants, to further understand how we can maximize the impact of each dollar. </p><p> This is on top of another $50 million USD they gave to GiveDirectly before: </p><p> We started partnering with GiveDirectly in 2021. Since then, we’ve donated $50 million USD to support their work across Malawi, through direct cash transfers to those living in extreme poverty. We’ve already reached more than 85,000 people, helping to provide life changing resources and the dignity of choice.</p><p> For context, the Cash for Poverty Relief program by Give Directly [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(01:24) About their founding-to-give model</p><p>(02:15) Other Engagement</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 22nd, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/ktFpWLkvRAAygbbtH/canva-to-donate-usd100m-over-4-years-to-givedirectly?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/ktFpWLkvRAAygbbtH/canva-to-donate-usd100m-over-4-years-to-givedirectly</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/ktFpWLkvRAAygbbtH/oaqfpc5nai61sulxwihr" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/ktFpWLkvRAAygbbtH/oaqfpc5nai61sulxwihr" alt="Two-step diagram showing company mission: build value, then do good." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/ktFpWLkvRAAygbbtH/exxcldr5enrunbw2s81t" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/ktFpWLkvRAAygbbtH/exxcldr5enrunbw2s81t" alt="Infographic showing four key impact statistics of Canva's charitable initiatives." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> I have some claim to be an “old hand” EA:[1]</p><ul> <li> I was in the room when the creation Giving What We Can was announced (although I vacillated about joining for quite a while)</li><li> I first went to EA Global in 2015</li><li> I worked on a not-very successful EA project for a while</li></ul><p> But I have not really been much involved in the community since about 2020. The interesting thing about this is that my withdrawal from the community has nothing to do with disagreements, personal conflicts, or FTX. I still pretty much agree with most “orthodox EA” positions, and I think that both the idea of EA and the movement remain straightforwardly good and relevant. </p><p> Hence why I describe the process as “senescence”: intellectually and philosophically I am still on board and I still donate, I just… don’t particularly want to participate beyond that.</p><p><strong> Boredom</strong></p><p> I won’t sugar-coat [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(01:00) Boredom</p><p>(04:05) What do I have to offer?</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 19th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/rJqQGD2z2DaupCbZE/my-ea-senescence?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/rJqQGD2z2DaupCbZE/my-ea-senescence</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p><strong> TLDR </strong></p><p> EA is a community where time tracking is already very common and yet most people I talk to don't because</p><ol> <li> It's too much work (when using toggl, clockify, ...)</li><li> It's not accurate enough (when using RescueTime, rize, ...)</li></ol><p> I built https://donethat.ai that solves both of these with AI as part of AIM's Founding to Give program. It's live on Product Hunt today, please support it.</p><p><strong> You should probably track your time</strong></p><p> I'd argue that for most people, your time is your most valuable resource.[1] Even though your day has 24 hours, eight of those are already used up for sleep, another eight probably for social life, gym, food prep and eating, life admin, commute, leaving max eight hours to have impact.</p><p> Oliver Burkeman argues in his recent book Meditations for Mortals that eight is still too high - most high impact work gets done in four hours [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:11) TLDR</p><p>(00:40) You should probably track your time</p><p>(02:21) It just got easier</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 14th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/wt8gKaH9usKy3LQmK/you-should-probably-track-your-time-and-it-just-got-easier?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/wt8gKaH9usKy3LQmK/you-should-probably-track-your-time-and-it-just-got-easier</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> The following is a quick collection of forecasting markets and opinions from experts which give some sense of how well-informed people are thinking about the state of US democracy. This isn't meant to be a rigorous proof that this is the case (DM me for that), just a collection which I hope will get people thinking about what's happening in the US now. </p><p> Before looking at the forecasts you might first ask yourself:</p><ul> <li> What probability would I put on authoritarian capture?, and</li><li> At what probability of authoritarian capture would I think that more concern and effort is warranted? </li></ul><p> </p><p><strong> Forecasts[1]</strong></p><ul> <li> The US won’t be a democracy by 2030: 25% - Metaculus</li><li> Will Trump 2.0 be the end of Democracy as we know it?: 48% - Manifold</li><li> If Trump is elected, will the US still be a liberal democracy at the end of his term? (V-DEM): 61% [...]</li></ul> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:45) Forecasts</p><p>(01:50) Quotes from experts & commentators</p><p>(03:20) Some relevant research</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 8th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/eJNH2CikC4scTsqYs/experts-and-markets-think-authoritarian-capture-of-the-us?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/eJNH2CikC4scTsqYs/experts-and-markets-think-authoritarian-capture-of-the-us</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p><strong> or Maximizing Good Within Your Personal Constraints</strong></p><p> Note: The specific numbers and examples below are approximations meant to illustrate the framework. Your actual calculations will vary based on your situation, values, and cause area. The goal isn't precision—it's to start thinking explicitly about impact per unit of sacrifice rather than assuming certain actions are inherently virtuous.</p><p> </p><p> You're at an EA meetup. Two people are discussing their impact:</p><p> Alice: "I went vegan, buy only secondhand, bike everywhere, and donate 5% of my nonprofit salary to animal charities."</p><p> Bob: "I work in finance, eat whatever, and donate 40% of my income to animal charities."</p><p> Who gets more social approval? Alice. Who prevents more animal suffering? Bob—by orders of magnitude.</p><p> Alice's choices improve welfare for hundreds of animal-years annually through diet change and her $2,500 donation. Bob's $80,000 donation improves tens of thousands of animal-years through corporate campaigns. Yet Alice is [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:11) or Maximizing Good Within Your Personal Constraints</p><p>(01:31) The Personal Constraint Framework</p><p>(02:26) Return on Sacrifice (RoS): The Core Metric</p><p>(03:05) Case Studies: Where Good Intentions Go Wrong</p><p>(03:10) Career: The Counterfactual Question</p><p>(04:32) Environmental Action: Personal vs. Systemic</p><p>(05:13) Information and Influence</p><p>(05:45) Truth vs. Reach</p><p>(06:17) The Uncomfortable Truth About Offsets</p><p>(07:43) When Personal Practice Actually Matters</p><p>(08:22) Your Personal Impact Portfolio</p><p>(09:38) The Reallocation Exercise</p><p>(10:40) Addressing the Predictable Objections</p><p>(11:41) The Call to Action</p><p>(12:10) The Bottom Line</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> September 10th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/u9WzAcyZkBhgWAew5/your-sacrifice-portfolio-is-probably-terrible?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/u9WzAcyZkBhgWAew5/your-sacrifice-portfolio-is-probably-terrible</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>

<p> This post is based on a memo I wrote for this year's Meta Coordination Forum. See also Arden Koehler's recent post, which hits a lot of similar notes. </p><p><strong> Summary</strong></p><p> The EA movement stands at a crossroads. In light of AI's very rapid progress, and the rise of the AI safety movement, some people view EA as a legacy movement set to fade away; others think we should refocus much more on “classic” cause areas like global health and animal welfare.</p><p> I argue for a third way: EA should embrace the mission of making the transition to a post-AGI society go well, significantly expanding our cause area focus beyond traditional AI safety. This means working on neglected areas like AI welfare, AI character, AI persuasion and epistemic disruption, human power concentration, space governance, and more (while continuing work on global health, animal welfare, AI safety, and biorisk).</p><p> These additional [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:20) Summary</p><p>(02:38) Three possible futures for the EA movement</p><p>(07:07) Reason #1: Neglected cause areas</p><p>(10:49) Reason #2: EA is currently intellectually adrift</p><p>(13:08) Reason #3: The benefits of EA mindset for AI safety and biorisk</p><p>(14:53) This isn't particularly Will-idiosyncratic</p><p>(15:57) Some related issues</p><p>(16:10) Principles-first EA</p><p>(17:30) Cultivating vs growing EA</p><p>(21:27) PR mentality</p><p>(24:48) What I'm not saying</p><p>(28:31) What to do?</p><p>(29:00) Local groups</p><p>(31:26) Online</p><p>(35:18) Conferences</p><p>(36:05) Conclusion</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 10th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/R8AAG4QBZi5puvogR/effective-altruism-in-the-age-of-agi?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/R8AAG4QBZi5puvogR/effective-altruism-in-the-age-of-agi</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/93e145031ddb4770047bc1e6f8c533818de396ce3d9de0d7.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/93e145031ddb4770047bc1e6f8c533818de396ce3d9de0d7.png" alt="Venn diagram showing evolution of EA's relationship with AI safety initiatives, featuring "post-AGI issues" overlap." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/665dcb9296f1798385d16814f166032e9dfeda67a43fbf17.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://39669.cdn.cke-cs.com/cgyAlfpLFBBiEjoXacnz/images/665dcb9296f1798385d16814f166032e9dfeda67a43fbf17.png" alt="Flow diagram: Money and people lead to innovative solution creating satisfaction." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><p><em>Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try <a href="https://pocketcasts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pocket Casts</a>, or another podcast app.</em></p></div>

<p> Here's a talk I gave at an EA university group organizers’ retreat recently, which I've been strongly encouraged to share on the forum. I'd like to make it clear I don't recommend or endorse everything discussed in this talk (one example in particular which hopefully will be self-evident), but do think serious shifts in how we engage with ethics and EA would be quite beneficial for the world.</p><p><strong> Part 1: Taking ethics seriously</strong></p><p> To set context for this talk, I want to go through an Our World in Data style birds-eye view of how things are trending across key issues often discussed in EA. This is to help get better intuitions for questions like “How well will the future go by default?” and “Is the world on track to eventually solve the most pressing problems?” - which can inform high-level strategy questions like “Should we generally be doing more [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:32) Part 1: Taking ethics seriously</p><p>(04:26) Incentive shifts and moral progress</p><p>(05:07) What is incentivized by society?</p><p>(07:08) Heroic Responsibility</p><p>(11:30) Excerpts from Strangers drowning</p><p>(14:37) Opening our eyes to what is unbearable</p><p>(18:07) Increasing effectiveness vs. increasing altruism</p><p>(20:20) Cognitive dissonance</p><p>(21:27) Paragons of moral courage</p><p>(23:15) The monk who set himself on fire to protect Buddhism, and didn't flinch an inch</p><p>(27:46) What do I most deeply want to honour in this life?</p><p>(29:43) Moral Courage and defending EA</p><p>(31:55) Acknowledging opportunity cost and grappling with guilt</p><p>(33:33) Part 2: Enjoying the process</p><p>(33:38) Celebrating what's really beautiful - what our hearts care about</p><p>(42:08) Enjoying effective altruism</p><p>(44:43) Training our minds to cultivate the qualities we endorse</p><p>(46:54) Meditation isnt a silver bullet</p><p>(52:35) The timeless words of MLK</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> October 4th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/gWyvAQztk75xQvRxD/taking-ethics-seriously-and-enjoying-the-process?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/gWyvAQztk75xQvRxD/taking-ethics-seriously-and-enjoying-the-process</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p> <p>---</p><div style="max-width: 100%";><p><strong>Images from the article:</strong></p><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/gWyvAQztk75xQvRxD/tivqabzgogpcuqbnmnby" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/gWyvAQztk75xQvRxD/tivqabzgogpcuqbnmnby" alt="Bar graph showing Harvard class of 2025 career destinations, led by finance." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/gWyvAQztk75xQvRxD/zkg22wuuoeihxummu9g7" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/gWyvAQztk75xQvRxD/zkg22wuuoeihxummu9g7" alt="Six graphs showing global progress across key metrics from 1820-2019: poverty, democracy, education, vaccination, literacy, and child mortality. Title: "The World as 100 People over the last two centuries."" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/gWyvAQztk75xQvRxD/biwhbfcbpjbnqushhvlf" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/gWyvAQztk75xQvRxD/biwhbfcbpjbnqushhvlf" alt="Survey graph showing preferences between lab-grown meat and animal meat alternatives." style="max-width: 100%;" /></a><hr style="margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;" /><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/mirroredImages/gWyvAQztk75xQvRxD/hwuatcmdjrbenjhdnka5" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/cea/image/upload/f_au

<p> TL;DR - AIM's applicants skew towards global health & development. We’ve recommended four new animal welfare charities, have the capacity to launch all four, but expect to struggle to find the talent to do so. If you’ve considered moving into animal welfare work, applying to Charity Entrepreneurship to launch a new charity in the space could be of huge counterfactual value.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Part 1: Why you should launch an animal welfare charity</strong></p><p> Our existing animal charities have had a lot of impact—improving the lives of over 1 billion animals worldwide. - from Shrimp Welfare Project securing corporate commitments globally and featuring on the Daily Show, to FarmKind's recent success coordinating a $2 million dollar fundraiser for the animal movement on the Dwarkshesh podcast, not to mention the progress of the 40 person army at the Fish Welfare Initiative, Scale Welfare's direct hand-on work at fish farms, and Animal Policy [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:37) Part 1: Why you should launch an animal welfare charity</p><p>(02:07) A few notes on counterfactual founder value</p><p>(05:57) Part 2 - The Charity Entrepreneurship Program & Our Latest Animal Welfare Ideas</p><p>(06:04) What is the Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Program?</p><p>(06:47) Our recommended animal welfare ideas for 2026</p><p>(07:10) 1. Driving supermarket commitments to shift diets away from meat</p><p>(07:58) 2. Securing scale-up funding for the alternative protein industry</p><p>(08:51) 3. Cage-free farming in the Middle East</p><p>(09:30) 4. Preventing painful injuries in laying hens</p><p>(10:02) Applications close on October 5th: Apply here.</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> September 29th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/aeky2EWd32bjjPJqf/charity-entrepreneurship-is-bottlenecked-by-a-lack-of-great?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/aeky2EWd32bjjPJqf/charity-entrepreneurship-is-bottlenecked-by-a-lack-of-great</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>