Jesse Gilbert
Build user-friendly software demos illustrating sentience concepts and ideas
CivAI
Bio
I’m a software engineer at the non-profit CivAI in Berkeley, where I work on AI demos to communicate AI risk. I've also mentored SPAR and MARS AI safety fellowship streams for AI risk demos.
I'm passionate about doing the most good, and to this end am interested in Sentient Futures' focus areas, including animal welfare and AI welfare (if, indeed, AI are/become welfare subjects)
Previously, I studied mechanical engineering and computer science at Tufts and have worked (interned) at organizations working on fusion energy, autonomous drones, hydrogen fuel cells, educational robotics, and more!
I also enjoy outdoor climbing, working on my Notion, journaling, and doing side projects (like this!)
See jessewgilbert.com for more
Mentee must-haves/nice-to-haves
- Is high agency, takes initiative, asks for feedback - Committed to the project and working on it in earnest throughout the program (this has been the biggest failure mode I have seen for similar programs. I expect mentees to maintain their time commitment throughout)
Mentee role
I am looking for mentees to own these projects. I'll be there to provide feedback, guidance, connections, relevant experience, etc. but the real force behind the project will be the mentee.
❓ Sample mentee tasks
See project description
Mentor support
Experience with - Software engineering - Community building - Communicating ideas (through software and in person)
Also accountability, connections as they are useful, etc.
Questions for applicants
- What specific sub project/demo, out of the ones I proposed, are you most interested in pursuing? - Why are you interested in pursuing it? - Why are you well-suited for it?
Mentor-led project
Sentience-relevant software demos
**Sentience relevant demos** - My full-time job is making AI risk demos at CivAI (civai.org), and I am interested in expanding the scope of demos that exist to areas like animal welfare, AI welfare, etc. - Some posible demos - AI welfare demos - see possible demo spec here: https://www.notion.so/jessegilbert/AI-Welfare-Demo-Spec-2b849c95bdef808b9983c997f9bfb725 - AI speciesism bias demo showing AnimalHarmBench 2.0 in a more publicly accessible format (https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/nBnRKpQ8rzHgFSJz9/animalharmbench-2-0-evaluating-llms-on-reasoning-about) - AI value lock-in demo - I would love to hear other people’s ideas!
**Other software projects** - Some particular things I would be interested in include - https://5minutes5vegans.org but for AI safety/AI welfare/animal welfare/etc. and using AI - Other (AI) tools for advocates (any ideas?) - Other ideas?
**Relevant community building** - Especially for university undergrads - Groups I’m excited about include effective altruism groups, AI safety groups, animal welfare/alt-protein groups, etc.
Very open and excited about people who have other ideas. Would love for people to pitch them.