Hackathon: Breaking Barriers to AI Safety

Interested in AI Safety, but feel like everyone is ahead of you? Did some reading or just finished a BlueDot course, but don’t feel like you know enough to post publicly? Worried that the field moves faster than you can keep up? Feeling stuck or overwhelmed, or worried by a lack of technical skills?
If the traditional field on-ramps don’t serve you right, this one is for you! Join us at London Initiative for Safe AI (LISA) for a low-pressure, non-technical hackathon to get things done.
You will choose from suggested projects or build your own - we’re excited to see the most creative and useful ideas springing from the teams. Not quite ready for a big project? You will also get a chance to tackle smaller tasks in the form of a bingo track, aimed at helping you structure your direction, explore your interests further, and build mini proof-of-work artifacts.
Who’s this for?
You are a generalist or less-technical individual from another field. You are looking to pivot into AI Safety and trying to be more hands-on and connect with the field, but unsure how to proceed. Maybe you’re already working on something, actively scoping your interests, or just curious. You’re bottlenecked by the lack of community or internal barriers, and you want to engage with fellow AI Safety explorers.
What do I need?
Building does not require coding skills, so we ask you to come with a laptop, an open mind, and readiness to get work done.
Prizes
1st place: £1k/team
2nd place: £750/team
3rd place: £500/team
& Bingo prizes: £500
Schedule
9:30: doors open & breakfast
10:00: kickoff - hackathon explanation & speed networking
11:00: get hacking!
13:00: lunch
15:30: hackclinic (stuck? want immediate feedback? come for a chat!)
18:00: sign up to demo / tell about your project
19:00: dinner and showcase
20:00: wrap up + networking
Ahead of the hack, we encourage you to explore our AI safety compass platform to build a personalised action plan.
Sign up, tell us about your interests, and we will connect you with others & give you interesting content to explore. We may prioritise individuals who are less experienced in the field; please apply regardless!
Hosted by LISA x BlueDot Impact