About us
What is the Future of Life Institute, and where did it come from?
Our mission
Preserving the future of life
How certain technologies are developed and used has far-reaching consequences for all life on earth. This is currently the case for artificial intelligence, biotechnologies and nuclear technology.
If properly managed, these technologies could transform the world in a way that makes life substantially better, both for the people alive today and for all the people who have yet to be born. They could be used to treat and eradicate diseases, strengthen democratic processes, and mitigate - or even halt - climate change.
If improperly managed, they could do the opposite. They could produce catastrophic events that bring humanity to its knees, perhaps even pushing us to the brink of extinction.
The Future of Life Institute’s mission is to steer transformative technologies away from extreme, large-scale risks and towards benefiting life.
Learn moreIf properly managed, these technologies could transform the world in a way that makes life substantially better, both for the people alive today and for all the people who have yet to be born. They could be used to treat and eradicate diseases, strengthen democratic processes, and mitigate - or even halt - climate change.
If improperly managed, they could do the opposite. They could produce catastrophic events that bring humanity to its knees, perhaps even pushing us to the brink of extinction.
The Future of Life Institute’s mission is to steer transformative technologies away from extreme, large-scale risks and towards benefiting life.
Our people
A team equal to the task
The Future of Life Institute is made of its Board, staff and external advisors. Collectively we represent a diverse range of expertise, having come to the Institute from governance institutions, industry and academia, and a variety of disciplines, including the behavioural sciences, medicine, machine learning, engineering, law and design.
Our history
The journey so far
The Future of Life Institute has come a long way since its early days. It was initially run by volunteers coordinated by co-founder Victoria Krakovna. Today, it has a full-time staff of 20+ team members around the world, mostly split into Policy, Outreach and Grantmaking teams.
See a full timeline of FLI's history:
Frequently Asked Questions
We've provided answers to a range of common questions we asked about the Future of Life Institute, including: What work does FLI do? Where is FLI based? Who funds FLI? How do you decide your policy positions? And more.
Contact us
Let's put you in touch with the right person.
We do our best to respond to all incoming queries within three business days. Our team is spread across the globe, so please be considerate and remember that the person you are contacting may not be in your timezone.
Please direct media requests and speaking invitations for Max Tegmark to press@futureoflife.org. All other inquiries can be sent to contact@futureoflife.org.
General inquiries
contact@futureoflife.orgPolicy
policy@futureoflife.orgFutures
futures@futureoflife.orgGrants
grants@futureoflife.orgRelated pages
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Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to some of the most common questions that we receive.
Contact us
Whatever you need, we have somebody on the team you can speak to.