Questions:
Democratic Inputs for OpenAI: AI Policython
Additional Members
How long has your team been working in the democratic / consensus-building space?
a. Lucas: Lucas has previous experience working on democratic data space and has assisted research in about a dozen different research projects, mostly at Harvard. He also launched the Coronavirus Visualization Team during the pandemic and worked on government interventions for COVID at Opportunity Insights and USA Facts. Additionally, he has organized hackathons focused on consensus building for COVID response and has worked with nonprofits like Voters Choose.
b. Jeremy: Jeremy was a national organizer for the Sunrise Movement, where he led citizen actions to push for the Green New Deal. He conducted public narrative trainings and organized citizen assemblies.
c. Scott: Scott worked on a science nonprofit called Retina with over 6,000 affiliates. He has also been involved in student research and startup ventures.
d. Shayan: Shayan is a student at Columbia University studying data science and public policy and the Founder & Executive Director of the tech nonprofit Reach4Help, operating in 38 countries.
Please tell us in a few sentences about prior projects done by each of the team members that they are most proud of.
Also, launching the Coronavirus visualization team during the pandemic and working on government interventions for COVID at Opportunity Insights and USA Facts. He has also organized hackathons focused on consensus building for COVID response and has worked with nonprofits like Voters Choose. Furthermore, raising over $2m for his Web3 startup, DAOHQ.
b. Jeremy: Jeremy takes pride in his role as a national organizer for the Sunrise Movement, where he led citizen actions to advocate for the Green New Deal. He conducted public narrative training and organized citizen assemblies, contributing to grassroots efforts to address climate change, and also worked with the office of Nancy Pelosi.
c. Scott: Scott's notable project involvement includes working with Retina, a science nonprofit with over 6,000 affiliates. Although specific details are not mentioned, his contribution to this organization demonstrates his dedication to advancing scientific research and collaboration.
d. Shayan: As the head of Reach4Help, Shayan leads efforts to coordinate disaster response efforts for 10K+ NGOs and charitable organizations worldwide in response to local crises—from running food distribution campaigns across 38 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, to raising over €170K for medical supplies for Ukraine with the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers, to serving over 60K households affected by the recent floods in Bangladesh and Pakistan. For Reach4Help’s work, he has been invited to speak at Google, the UN Headquarters, and the Aspen Institute’s Future Leaders Climate Summit. Previously, he worked as a data analyst with the Bangladesh Ministry of Health, analyzing COVID-19 data to inform governmental policy on lockdowns, resource allocation, and public health communications.
Please list any other commitments (work/school) that each of the team members has until October 20, 2023
Are any team members covered by noncompetes or intellectual property agreements that overlap with this project? Will any team members be working as employees or consultants for anyone else?
As part of his work at Cerebral Valley, Lucas helps organize hackathons with AI companies monthly and demo days with venture capitalists weekly.
Question:
Why did you pick this question (or questions) to work on?
As a team, we selected this question because it aligns with our mission to establish a novel framework for answering questions and guiding decision making. Our primary focus lies in addressing politically significant inquiries, known for their divisive nature, and seeking out principles that resonate with a broad spectrum of individuals. We believe that by delving into these complex topics, we can identify approaches that work for the majority, fostering a sense of inclusivity and understanding.
Moreover, we hold a particular interest in questions posed by students. We recognize the vibrant energy and multitude of opinions that students possess, which we consider a valuable resource in our pursuit. By engaging with student questions, we anticipate a wealth of diverse perspectives and high-quality responses. Students, being representative of various backgrounds and experiences, bring forth a rich tapestry of ideas and insights that can significantly enrich the dialogue.
We also acknowledge the significance of policy in the lives of students. Recent events, such as the Supreme Court decision, have highlighted the influential role of policy in shaping not only the educational landscape but also the broader world, including the application of artificial intelligence. Understanding how policies impact learning environments and the utilization of emerging technologies is crucial for ensuring a well-rounded approach to problem-solving.
By selecting this question, we aim to facilitate greater public participation and input. We recognize the inherent value of this format in its ability to scale up the number of submissions and reach a wider audience. Leveraging our expertise and resources, we feel a responsibility to explore new avenues and push the boundaries of engagement. Students, who hail from diverse backgrounds and exhibit exceptional levels of engagement, have the potential to offer a diverse range of insights and perspectives. Through this collective effort, we anticipate generating a more comprehensive and robust set of responses that can drive meaningful change.
In conclusion, our team's decision to focus on this particular question stems from our commitment to building an inclusive and impactful framework. By embracing politically important and polarizing topics, particularly those posed by students, we aim to harness the power of collective intelligence to shape a better future. We believe that through this process, we can elicit a range of perspectives, drive policy discussions, and promote a deeper understanding of the issues at hand.
Why do you think that this question (or questions) are well suited to broader public input? What do you think labs, developers or others might change as a result of input on these questions?
First and foremost, we have observed the successful outcomes of policy hackathons, such as the ones organized by our team at Policy for the People. These events have demonstrated the power of engaging a wide range of individuals in the policymaking process and leveraging collective intelligence to crowdsource innovative solutions to local problems. Through events like the Vizathon, Pandemic Policython, Education Policython, Merge'22, and Researchathon, we have witnessed the immense potential of bringing together diverse voices and expertise to generate impactful policy suggestions.
The experiences we have gained from running these events, including my personal involvement in leading some of them, have reinforced our belief in the effectiveness of public input. For instance, one of our policy suggestions was taken to Opportunity Insights, a renowned research lab, resulting in a subsequent paper reaching President Biden's desk and leading to the reallocation of $20 billion in federal funding. These tangible outcomes demonstrate the power of harnessing the ideas and perspectives of the public, particularly students, in shaping significant policy decisions that affect billions of dollars, millions of individuals, and numerous corporations.
In the realm of developers, we have also organized the annual Merge: Hack+Policython, where participants are challenged to submit both technical and non-technical proposals. Despite the complexity of this task, we have consistently seen a high level of engagement, with over $25,000 in prizes awarded and around 200 participants involved. The submissions span a wide range of topics, from hormone therapy on native reservations to quantitative easing in Europe, highlighting the diversity of ideas and perspectives generated through this collaborative process.
Additionally, our participants represent a significant underrepresented demographic in politics, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and diversity. Our Policython applicants have included 65% female participants and 73% identifying as BIPOC, while projects have spanned over 400 schools and an average of three countries per project.
The unique perspective of students, who form a vocal and active part of the public online, is particularly well-suited to broader public input. As exemplified by our involvement in designing The Residency Education Designathon, where dozens of tweet submissions were received on improving the education system and the winner had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to Sam Altman, we have witnessed the enthusiasm and valuable contributions students can bring to policy discussions.
While we plan to begin with mostly T20 university students, we plan to expand to colleges around the nation, world, and then beyond with non-profits and community-based organizations.
Process