One-Sentence Summary
The LATAM Research Fellowship aims to support Latin American students and professionals in advancing their AI safety research skills (governance and alignment) while propelling their careers towards producing high-impact research aimed at reducing catastrophic AI risks.
The Problem
While AI safety is one of our era's critical challenges, there's a clear disparity in research contributions between the Global North and South. Most opportunities and resources concentrate in the Global North, potentially sidelining valuable talent from Latin America.
Our Solution
We're creating a 12-week mentorship program connecting Latin American talent with experienced researchers in AI safety. Our hypothesis: there's significant untapped potential in Latin America that could enhance the field, but lacks traditional access points to established programs.
Program Structure
Target Audience
- Latin American students and professionals interested in AI safety careers
- Individuals with foundational knowledge seeking expertise development
- Commitment to pursuing work in catastrophic AI risk reduction
For Mentors
- Lead teams on projects of your design
- Weekly one-hour meetings over 12 weeks
- Select mentees based on your specified criteria
- Administrative support provided by our team
MVP Goals
- 5 Governance mentors
- 2 Alignment mentors
- Weekly mentorship meetings
- Regular feedback collection
What Sets Us Apart
Unlike existing programs (SPAR, FIG, Pivotal, MATS, ERA), we:
- Focus exclusively on Latin American talent
- Look beyond traditional credentials
- Provide culturally relevant support and networking
Next Steps
We're currently seeking:
1. Mentors for both tracks
2. Community feedback on our approach
3. Potential collaborators and supporters
Interested in mentoring? Express your interest in here.
This is an early-stage idea and we want to get it right. If you see problems with our approach or assumptions, or know of similar initiatives that failed - we want to hear about it. Don't hold back!