Getting AI Safety Talent into Government: What can we learn from the UK?
Summary
Every government working on AI faces the same problem: understanding and anticipating fast-moving AI development requires real technical expertise. However, the state is competing with companies and universities for the same talent.
So how do you actually get top AI safety talent into government? On June 9th, a German AI Security Institute was formally announced, and the question becomes ever so relevant.
The UK's AI Security Institute (AISI) is one of the clearest answers so far. Founded in 2023, it went from 0 to a leading research and advisory institute in a matter of months. Cutting through institutional friction and attracting top international talent into the public sector.
Join us for an online talk and fireside chat with Konstantin Sietzy, Deputy Director of Research Unit 1 at UK AISI, on what it actually took to build this pipeline, and what's transferable to other states.
📅 August 26th, 18:00 - 19:00 CEST
Format
10-12 mins talk, followed by fireside chat and audience Q&A via Slido.
Speaker bio
Konstantin is the Deputy Director for Research Unit 1 at the UK AI Security Institute (AISI), which evaluates frontier AI models and develops mitigations for their societal impacts. Previously he built SovAI, the UK government's £500m VC fund investing to preserve sovereignty in Transformative AI scenarios, and lead Talent and Operations for AISI. Before AISI, he briefly worked with the EU AI Office to help set up their safety unit, and previously spent just under a decade at McKinsey working on health security and pandemic preparedness. Konstantin serves on the Board of several non-profits in the AI security and global health space.
Who should attend?
Particularly relevant for:
People considering a move into AI safety or AI policy roles in government
AI safety researchers curious about entering public-sector work
Anyone building or hiring for AI safety talent pipelines (not restricted to Germany!)
No governance or policy background required.