How to apply for Volunteer Opportunities

About AISafety.com

AISafety.com is a website that serves as a starting point for people new to AI safety and a hub for key resources for the AI safety community. It connects volunteers with projects that support and improve the AI safety field. The organization is remote and global, with a focus on practical contributions.

About the role

This is a volunteer opportunity to work on one of several projects listed by AISafety.com. Projects include maintaining the Alignment Research Dataset, contributing to the AI Risk and Alignment Wiki, helping with the Spanish-language AI safety hub (Seguridad de la IA), translating key AI safety documents into multiple languages, and building a threat model to direction bet mapper tool. Volunteers choose a project and contribute their skills.

A typical day

A typical day depends on the project. For example, maintaining the Alignment Research Dataset might involve checking scrapers and updating data. Contributing to the wiki could mean writing or editing articles. Helping with the Spanish hub might involve translating content or developing the website. The work is remote and flexible, and you would coordinate with the project lead.

Who AISafety.com is looking for

• Has a genuine interest in AI safety and is willing to volunteer time and expertise.
• Possesses skills relevant to one of the listed projects, such as data maintenance, wiki editing, frontend/backend development, translation, or tool building.
• Can work independently and remotely, and is self-motivated to contribute to ongoing projects.
• For some projects, Spanish language skills or familiarity with specific languages (German, French, Japanese, Korean) are helpful.

Tips for this application

• Review the list of projects on AISafety.com and identify which one aligns with your skills and interests.
• Contact the specific project lead directly via the email provided for that project, rather than applying generically.
• In your email, mention the project name and explain how your skills match the needs described for that project.
• If you have relevant experience, provide examples or links to previous work (e.g., GitHub repos, translations, wiki contributions).
• Be clear about your availability and how much time you can commit, as this is a volunteer role.

What to cover in your cover letter

['State which specific project you are applying for and why it interests you.', "Highlight any relevant skills or experience that match the project's needs (e.g., data scraping, wiki editing, fullstack development, translation).", 'Mention any familiarity with AI safety concepts or resources, if applicable.', "Express your willingness to volunteer and your commitment to contributing to the project's goals."]

Research before applying

• Explore the AISafety.com website to understand its role as a hub for AI safety resources.
• Read about the specific project you are interested in, including any linked websites or documentation (e.g., alignment.miraheze.org for the wiki, aisafety.es for the Spanish hub).
• Look into the Alignment Research Dataset and how it is used by the Stampy chatbot.
• Review the AI Risk and Alignment Wiki to see its structure and content.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Your understanding of the specific project you applied for and its goals.
• Your relevant technical or language skills and how they apply to the project.
• Your previous experience with similar volunteer or open-source projects.
• Your familiarity with AI safety concepts and resources.
• Your availability and how you plan to manage your volunteer time.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without specifying which project you want to work on; the listing includes multiple projects with different leads.
• Contacting the wrong person; each project has its own contact email, so use the correct one.
• Failing to demonstrate any relevant skills or interest in AI safety; this is a volunteer role, so motivation and fit matter.