Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have led to a rapid increase in the number of AI systems that are used in our daily lives. These systems are used to make decisions that affect our lives, such as whether we get a loan, whether we get a job, or whether we get a promotion. As a result, it is important to ensure that these systems are aligned with our values and goals. This is known as AI alignment.

AI alignment is a complex problem that requires a multidisciplinary approach. It is a problem that requires the expertise of researchers from a variety of fields, including computer science, philosophy, economics, psychology, and sociology. However, there is a lack of funding and even awareness of research in this area. This is why Conjointly is excited to announce an AUD 20,000 research grant on the topic of AI alignment with the use of market research techniques.

What is the research grant about?

The research grant is open to researchers from any field who are interested in applying market research techniques to the problem of AI alignment. The grant is open to both individuals and teams.

The grant will be awarded to the best research proposal that is submitted by the deadline (1 May 2023). The research proposal should be submitted in the form of:

1. One-page essay (Word or PDF - strictly one page only). The essay should include the following descriptions:

   • The problem that you are trying to solve
   • The research methods that you will use to solve the problem
   • The expected outcomes of the research (any potential hypotheses that you will test)
   • How the research will be disseminated

2. One-page CV (Word or PDF) or link to your LinkedIn profile

Your proposal should be sent to the following email address: academic@conjointly.com.

Assessment criteria

The research proposal will be assessed based on the following criteria:

• The problem that you are trying to solve (it needs to be a practical problem that resonates with the general public)
• The research methods that you will use to solve the problem (higher weight on using market research techniques)
• Your ability and desire to conduct the research fast (higher weight on publishing the research within 3 months of the grant being awarded)
• Your ability to disseminate the research (higher weight on publishing the research to non-academics, in general press)

Each of the four criteria have equal importance.

What will you receive?

We will provide a grant of AUD 20,000 to the winner of the research grant paid in two instalments:

• AUD 10,000 after the research proposal is approved
• AUD 10,000 after the research is published in a general press outlet (e.g., a newspaper, a magazine, a blog, etc.)

You can choose to substitute all or part of this grant with sampling services by Conjointly.

The Conjointly team of market researchers will be available to help you with research methodology. We will also provide you with access to our tools if you choose to use them.

We do not place conditions on concurrent funding or specific use of funds (whether you use it to buy supplies for the research itself or to use as stipend). We want you to focus on conducting and disseminating the research, and less on the paperwork.

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