The case for making personal donations to AI safety

The growing field of AI safety and risk reduction presents unique opportunities for individual donors to make meaningful contributions, even in a space dominated by major philanthropic organizations.

Current landscape and misconceptions: Individual donors can play a vital role in reducing AI-related catastrophic risks, contrary to the belief that their contributions merely overlap with major donors’ efforts.

• Several funding gaps exist where individual donors can have unique impact, including work requiring funding diversity, time-sensitive projects, and politically restricted donations
• Small-scale donors can contribute effectively through both direct giving and established funds
• Organizations face varying restrictions and requirements that create opportunities for diverse funding sources

Direct giving advantages and considerations: Direct donations to organizations or individuals offer specific benefits for donors seeking maximum control and immediate impact.

• Allows support for political campaigns, PACs, and advocacy organizations that funds might not be able to support
• Enables rapid response to time-sensitive opportunities
• Provides donors with complete decision-making control over their contributions
• Helps alleviate grant evaluation bottlenecks in the field

Indirect giving through funds: Established funds provide structured channels for AI risk reduction donations with distinct advantages.

• Tax benefits may be more favorable when giving through 501(c)(3) organizations
• Professional grantmakers handle evaluation and distribution
• Enables consistent giving schedules
• Major funds include the AI Risk Mitigation Fund, LTFF, and Longview’s Emerging Challenges Fund

Special considerations for AI professionals: Those working in AI-related fields are uniquely positioned to make impactful donations within their sector.

• Professional networks provide access to overlooked funding opportunities
• Technical expertise enables better evaluation of potential investments
• Some may hesitate to donate within their field due to desires for moral hedging or maintaining objectivity
• Goal factoring can help balance multiple objectives across different causes

Strategic approach to cause diversification: The scale of individual giving influences the optimal strategy for cause allocation.

• Individuals may benefit more from specialization than attempting to diversify across multiple causes
• Larger organizations and movements are better positioned to implement broad cause diversification
• Donors can balance specialized AI risk reduction giving with smaller allocations to other causes that align with their values

Looking ahead: The evolving landscape of AI risk reduction funding suggests a growing need for diverse funding sources, while the field’s complexity and urgency demand thoughtful allocation of resources. Individual donors, particularly those with technical expertise, have unique opportunities to fill critical gaps in the funding ecosystem.