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Astral Codex Ten published Open Thread 453 as its weekly space for reader discussion and shared several updates. They include a response from congressional candidate Jamie Joyce, three planned college Effective Altruism meetups and a grant program offering up to $10 million for work on middle powers and transformative AI.
Astral Codex Ten published Open Thread 453, a weekly discussion post that also carries updates on a California congressional race, college meetups and a new grant opportunity. The post says Astralis Foundation and Macroscopic Ventures will distribute up to $10 million for work on middle powers and transformative AI, though it does not specify how much will ultimately be awarded or when applications close.
The post links to a response by Jamie Joyce, who is challenging the incumbent in California’s 12th District House race. The author says they had endorsed the incumbent in a spring primary recommendations post, describing Joyce as eccentric and unlikely to win. Joyce contacted the author and asked them to reconsider. The author says they do not intend to revisit the earlier post now, but may reconsider their position in a post about the November election. The linked response is recommended to interested district voters.
The thread also reports that Oxford, University College Dublin and the University of the Philippines have college Effective Altruism meetups planned. It directs readers to a separate list for details. Separately, the post says Astralis Foundation and Macroscopic Ventures are offering up to $10 million in grants for research, training, public writing and new organizations. Their stated focus is what countries outside the United States and China can do in relation to transformative AI.
For its regular discussion format, the thread invites readers to post on any topic and ask questions. It also points to the ACX subreddit, Discord, bulletin board and in-person meetups. The post’s recommended comments of the week all come from a prior article on AI generalization and address topics including generalization failures, stages of model training and claims about emergent misalignment.
Funding Work Beyond US-China
The grant announcement points to an effort to bring countries beyond the United States and China into discussions and work on transformative AI. The proposed funding could support research, training, public writing and new organizations, according to the thread. The announcement does not establish which projects will receive funding or what results the effort will produce, but it signals that the organizers are seeking work on the role of other countries in AI’s development and governance.
The other updates have a more local and community focus. Joyce’s response gives voters in California’s 12th District a link to her case as she prepares to face the incumbent again in the general election. The meetup announcements may help students find local groups, while the open thread itself gives ACX readers a recurring place to exchange questions and links.
A Weekly Forum With Updates
Open Thread 453 is presented as Astral Codex Ten’s weekly visible open thread, rather than a standalone report dedicated to one development. Its purpose is broad discussion: readers can post about any subject or ask informal questions. The author says most site content is free, with some content available only to subscribers, and points readers to several community channels and gatherings.
The election note refers back to the author’s spring recommendations for California’s primary. According to the post, both candidates in the 12th District race will face off again in the general election. The author does not provide the date of that election in this thread. The grant note describes a program centered on “middle powers and transformative AI,” with the application details available through a separate link. The post also directs readers to a list of college meetups and to earlier writing about AI generalization.
““research, training, public writing and new organizations focused on what countries beyond the US and China can do to help navigate” the AI transition”
— Astralis Foundation and Macroscopic Ventures, as described in the Open Thread
Grant and Election Details Pending
The thread does not say how much of the $10 million will be awarded, who is eligible, when applications close, or when recipients will be announced. Those details are left to the linked grant information. It also does not identify the specific dates, organizers or activities for the three planned college meetups.
The election update reports Joyce’s request and links to her response, but the thread does not reproduce her arguments or independently assess them. The author has not committed to changing their recommendation. The source gives no publication date, and it does not provide a precise date for the November election or any new development in the race beyond the candidates’ expected rematch.
Applications and November Campaign
People interested in funding can consult the linked grant page for application instructions and any deadlines or eligibility rules. The thread does not state when awards will be made. Students interested in the planned Oxford, University College Dublin or University of the Philippines meetups can check the linked meetup list for further information.
For voters in California’s 12th District, the immediate next step offered by the post is to read Joyce’s response. The author says they may publish a new assessment in connection with the November election, but gives no date or promise that they will do so. The open thread remains available for reader discussion and links to the ACX community’s other forums and events.
Key Questions
What is Open Thread 453?
It is a weekly Astral Codex Ten discussion post inviting readers to raise questions or discuss any topic. This edition also contains several community and funding updates.
What is the AI grant program offering?
Astralis Foundation and Macroscopic Ventures say they will distribute up to $10 million for research, training, public writing and new organizations focused on the role of countries beyond the United States and China in transformative AI.
Which college meetups are planned?
The post lists planned meetups at Oxford, University College Dublin and the University of the Philippines. It links to a separate list for details.
What did the post say about Jamie Joyce?
Joyce, a candidate in California’s 12th District House race, contacted the author after an earlier endorsement of the incumbent and asked them to reconsider. The post links to Joyce’s response; the author says they may revisit the race in a later November election post.
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