Reading Fellowships are structured reading groups that meet throughout the semester for 2 hours a week. Applications close soon.
Apply for the Technical AI Safety Fellowship here.
Apply for the AI Policy Fellowship here.
The Queensland AI Safety Initiative (QuASI) Technical AI Safety Fellowship is an 8-week program for students and researchers who want to tackle one of the most urgent technical challenges of our time: preventing catastrophic risks from advanced AI systems.
As AI capabilities scale, so do the risks—from systems that dangerously misgeneralise their goals to AI models that could be used to by malicious actors or that themselves pursue uncontrollable strategies. There is already ample evidence of frontier models being capable of deception of users and overseers. The fellowship explores key research areas in AI alignment, interpretability, oversight, and robustness—critical fields for ensuring that AI remains safe and controllable.
Each week, participants meet on campus for a two-hour session:
📖 Hour 1: Silent reading of key research papers on AI alignment techniques.
💬 Hour 2: Facilitated discussion by members with experience in AI safety research to critically engage with these ideas alongside peers.
🍽️ Dinner is provided, and no preparation is required.
This fellowship is best suited for those with a technical background or an interest in technical AI safety, such as:
🧠 Machine learning researchers or students considering a pivot into AI safety.
🔬 STEM students interested in technical AI alignment challenges.
👩💻 Managers or supporters of AI safety research who want a stronger technical foundation.
⚠️ Students considering careers in AI safety to help mitigate catastrophic risks from AI.
The curriculum is adapted from leading AI safety research, covering topics like deceptive alignment, reinforcement learning failures, and red-teaming AI systems. A technical background is helpful, but we welcome applicants from a range of disciplines who are committed to understanding and addressing catastrophic AI risks.
🗓️ Applications close 11.59pm, March 9th.