Information for Foundational Research Institute

Table of contents

Basic information

Item Value
Donations List Website (data still preliminary) donee

Positions count by year

Hover over a name to see the position and date range. This table only includes positions where at least the start date is known. The positions count can count the same person multiple times if they held different positions; similarly, the list of staff may include the same person multiple times if they held more than one position during a single year. For each year, a person is included if they were at the organization for any part of the year; this means the actual staff count at any point during the year can be lower (or higher, if some staff held multiple positions in a single year).

Year Positions count Researchers General staff Associates Board members Advisors
2015 12 Brian Tomasik, Brian Tomasik, Caspar Oesterheld, Caspar Oesterheld, Lukas Gloor, Lukas Gloor, Simon Knutsson, Simon Knutsson, Simon Knutsson Adriano Mannino Bengt Brülde, David Pearce
2016 24 Brian Tomasik, Caspar Oesterheld, Lukas Gloor, Simon Knutsson Adriano Mannino, Andrei Pöhlmann, David Althaus, David Althaus, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Matīss Apinis, Ruairí Donnelly Holly Elmore, Kaj Sotala Adriano Mannino, Brian Tomasik, Lucius Caviola, Lukas Gloor Bengt Brülde, David Pearce, Lucius Caviola, Ole Martin Moen, Olle Häggström, Ulla Wessels
2017 27 Brian Tomasik, Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Johannes Treutlein, Johannes Treutlein, Lukas Gloor, Simon Knutsson Adriano Mannino, Andrei Pöhlmann, David Althaus, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Matīss Apinis, Max Daniel, Ruairí Donnelly Holly Elmore, Kaj Sotala Adriano Mannino, Brian Tomasik, Lucius Caviola, Lukas Gloor Bengt Brülde, Brian Tomasik, David Pearce, Ole Martin Moen, Olle Häggström, Ulla Wessels
2018 25 Anni Leskelä, Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Johannes Treutlein, Kaj Sotala, Lukas Gloor Andrei Pöhlmann, David Althaus, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Lukas Gloor, Matīss Apinis, Max Daniel Holly Elmore, Johannes Treutlein, Kaj Sotala Brian Tomasik, Lucius Caviola, Lukas Gloor Bengt Brülde, Brian Tomasik, David Pearce, Ole Martin Moen, Olle Häggström, Ulla Wessels
2019 17 Anni Leskelä, Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Kaj Sotala Andrei Pöhlmann, David Althaus, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Lukas Gloor, Matīss Apinis Johannes Treutlein Bengt Brülde, Brian Tomasik, David Pearce, Ole Martin Moen, Olle Häggström, Ulla Wessels
2020 17 Anni Leskelä, Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Kaj Sotala Andrei Pöhlmann, David Althaus, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Lukas Gloor, Matīss Apinis Johannes Treutlein Bengt Brülde, Brian Tomasik, David Pearce, Ole Martin Moen, Olle Häggström, Ulla Wessels
2021 5 Caspar Oesterheld, Kaj Sotala David Althaus Johannes Treutlein Bengt Brülde
2022 5 Caspar Oesterheld, Kaj Sotala David Althaus Johannes Treutlein Bengt Brülde
2023 5 Caspar Oesterheld, Kaj Sotala David Althaus Johannes Treutlein Bengt Brülde
2024 5 Caspar Oesterheld, Kaj Sotala David Althaus Johannes Treutlein Bengt Brülde

Number of full-time staff at the beginning each year

The following table lists some dates and people who were at the organization on the given date (namely, the start of the year). The table may not list every person who worked for the organization (e.g. they could have joined and left in the middle of a single year). This table excludes associates, interns, advisors, and board members.

Date Staff count Staff
2016-01-01 5 Adriano Mannino, Brian Tomasik, Caspar Oesterheld, Lukas Gloor, Simon Knutsson
2017-01-01 10 Adriano Mannino, Andrei Pöhlmann, Brian Tomasik, Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Lukas Gloor, Matīss Apinis, Simon Knutsson
2018-01-01 9 Andrei Pöhlmann, Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Johannes Treutlein, Lukas Gloor, Matīss Apinis, Max Daniel
2019-01-01 10 Andrei Pöhlmann, Anni Leskelä, Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, David Althaus, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Kaj Sotala, Lukas Gloor, Matīss Apinis
2020-01-01 10 Andrei Pöhlmann, Anni Leskelä, Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, David Althaus, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Kaj Sotala, Lukas Gloor, Matīss Apinis
2021-01-01 3 Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Kaj Sotala
2022-01-01 3 Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Kaj Sotala
2023-01-01 3 Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Kaj Sotala
2024-01-01 3 Caspar Oesterheld, David Althaus, Kaj Sotala

Full history of additions and subtractions

This table shows the full change history of positions. Each row corresponds to at least one addition or removal of a position. Additions are in green and subtractions are in red. If a position name changed, it is listed simultaneously as an addition (of the new name) and removal (of the old name) and colored yellow. Additionally there are faded variants of each color for visited links.

Date Number of positions Number of positions added Number of positions removed Positions added Positions removed
10 10 0 Adrian Hutter, Adriano Mannino, Alfredo Parra, Brian Tomasik, Daniel Kestenholz, Jesse Clifton, Kaj Sotala, Louis Francini, Nicolas Feil, Tobias Baumann
2015-02-01 11 1 0 Simon Knutsson
2015-03-01 11 1 -1 Simon Knutsson Simon Knutsson
2015-04-01 10 0 -1 Simon Knutsson
2015-06-01 12 2 0 Bengt Brülde, Simon Knutsson
2015-11-01 15 5 -2 Adriano Mannino, Brian Tomasik, Caspar Oesterheld, David Pearce, Lukas Gloor Adriano Mannino, Brian Tomasik
2015-12-01 15 3 -3 Brian Tomasik, Caspar Oesterheld, Lukas Gloor Brian Tomasik, Caspar Oesterheld, Lukas Gloor
2016-01-01 16 3 -2 Adriano Mannino, Brian Tomasik, Lucius Caviola Adriano Mannino, Brian Tomasik
2016-03-01 22 6 0 Adriano Mannino, Brian Tomasik, David Althaus, Lucius Caviola, Lukas Gloor, Ruairí Donnelly
2016-05-01 21 0 -1 Ruairí Donnelly
2016-06-01 27 6 0 Andrei Pöhlmann, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Kaj Sotala, Matīss Apinis, Olle Häggström
2016-10-01 29 4 -2 David Althaus, Holly Elmore, Ole Martin Moen, Ulla Wessels David Althaus, Lucius Caviola
2017-06-01 29 3 -3 Johannes Treutlein, Max Daniel, Ruairí Donnelly Adriano Mannino, Adriano Mannino, Simon Knutsson
2017-11-01 28 3 -4 Brian Tomasik, David Althaus, Johannes Treutlein Brian Tomasik, David Althaus, Johannes Treutlein, Ruairí Donnelly
2018-02-01 25 0 -3 Brian Tomasik, Lucius Caviola, Lukas Gloor
2018-04-01 26 1 0 David Althaus
2018-06-01 25 4 -5 Anni Leskelä, Johannes Treutlein, Kaj Sotala, Lukas Gloor Holly Elmore, Johannes Treutlein, Kaj Sotala, Lukas Gloor, Max Daniel
2020-02-01 7 0 -18 Adrian Hutter, Alfredo Parra, Andrei Pöhlmann, Anni Leskelä, Brian Tomasik, Daniel Kestenholz, David Althaus, David Pearce, Ewelina Tur, Janko Prester, Jesse Clifton, Louis Francini, Lukas Gloor, Matīss Apinis, Nicolas Feil, Ole Martin Moen, Olle Häggström, Ulla Wessels

List of people (52 positions)

Person Title Start date End date Employment type Source Notes
Kaj Sotala Researcher [1], [2] One of 37 AGI Safety Researchers of 2015 funded by donations from Elon Musk and the Open Philanthropy Project
Max Daniel Executive Director 2017-06-01 2018-06-01 full-time [3], [4]
Brian Tomasik Advisor 2017-11-01 2020-02-01 advisor [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]
Lukas Gloor Researcher (AI safety) 2015-12-01 2018-06-01 [10], [4], [11], [12] Previously listed as a volunteer, but the paid staff/volunteer sections were removed from the website so the status of employment is unclear.
Caspar Oesterheld Researcher (AI safety) 2015-12-01 [10], [13], [14] Previously listed as a volunteer, but the paid staff/volunteer sections were removed from the website so the status of employment is unclear.
Kaj Sotala Research Associate 2016-06-01 2018-06-01 associate [15], [4], [16]
Tobias Baumann Network member [14]
Brian Tomasik Research consultant 2015-11-01 [17], [18]
Adrian Hutter Advisor 2020-02-01 advisor [17], [9]
Adriano Mannino Advisor 2015-11-01 advisor [17], [18]
Simon Knutsson Research Fellow (part time) 2015-02-01 2015-03-01 part-time [19], [20]
Simon Knutsson Research Volunteer 2015-03-01 2015-04-01 volunteer [20], [21]
Simon Knutsson Research Fellow 2015-06-01 2017-06-01 full-time [22], [3] On parental leave beginning around October 2016 [23].
Bengt Brülde Advisor 2015-06-01 advisor [22]
Brian Tomasik Researcher 2015-11-01 2015-12-01 volunteer [18], [10]
Lukas Gloor Researcher 2015-11-01 2015-12-01 volunteer [18], [10]
Caspar Oesterheld Researcher 2015-11-01 2015-12-01 volunteer [18], [10]
Adriano Mannino Board member and co-founder 2015-11-01 2016-01-01 board member [18], [24]
David Pearce Advisor 2015-11-01 2020-02-01 advisor [18], [9]
Brian Tomasik Researcher 2015-12-01 2016-01-01 [10], [24] Previously listed as a volunteer, but the paid staff/volunteer sections were removed from the website so the status of employment is unclear.
Adriano Mannino Executive director 2016-01-01 2017-06-01 [24], [3]
Brian Tomasik Researcher lead 2016-01-01 2017-11-01 [24], [5]
Lucius Caviola Board chair 2016-01-01 2018-02-01 board member [24], [25] Board members section removed around February 2018, so membership unclear after this point.
David Althaus Director of Strategy 2016-03-01 2016-10-01 [26], [23]
Ruairí Donnelly Director of Growth 2016-03-01 2016-05-01 [26], [27]
Lucius Caviola Advisor 2016-03-01 2016-10-01 advisor [26], [23]
Adriano Mannino Board member 2016-03-01 2017-06-01 board member [26], [3]
Lukas Gloor Board member 2016-03-01 2018-02-01 board member [26], [25] Board members section removed around February 2018, so membership unclear after this point.
Brian Tomasik Board member 2016-03-01 2018-02-01 board member [26], [25] Board members section removed around February 2018, so membership unclear after this point.
Olle Häggström Advisor 2016-06-01 2020-02-01 advisor [15], [9]
Janko Prester Volunteer 2016-06-01 2020-02-01 volunteer [15], [9]
Andrei Pöhlmann Volunteer 2016-06-01 2020-02-01 volunteer [15], [9]
Ewelina Tur Volunteer 2016-06-01 2020-02-01 volunteer [15], [9]
Matīss Apinis Volunteer 2016-06-01 2020-02-01 volunteer [15], [9]
Holly Elmore Associate Researcher 2016-10-01 2018-06-01 associate [23], [4]
David Althaus Assistant Director 2016-10-01 2017-11-01 [23], [5]
Ulla Wessels Advisor 2016-10-01 2020-02-01 advisor [23], [9]
Ole Martin Moen Advisor 2016-10-01 2020-02-01 advisor [23], [9]
Ruairí Donnelly Director of Growth 2017-06-01 2017-11-01 full-time [3], [5]
Johannes Treutlein Research and Growth 2017-06-01 2017-11-01 full-time [3], [5]
David Althaus Researcher 2017-11-01 2020-02-01 full-time [5], [9]
Johannes Treutlein Researcher 2017-11-01 2018-06-01 full-time [5], [4]
Kaj Sotala Researcher 2018-06-01 full-time [4]
Anni Leskelä Researcher 2018-06-01 2020-02-01 full-time [4], [9]
Johannes Treutlein Associate Researcher 2018-06-01 associate [4]
David Althaus Assistant Director 2018-04-01 full-time [28]
Lukas Gloor Executive Director 2018-06-01 2020-02-01 full-time [4], [9]
Jesse Clifton Researcher 2020-02-01 full-time [9]
Alfredo Parra Operations 2020-02-01 full-time [9]
Daniel Kestenholz Operations 2020-02-01 full-time [9]
Louis Francini Volunteer 2020-02-01 volunteer [9]
Nicolas Feil Volunteer 2020-02-01 volunteer [9]

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Similar organizations

Organization Number of people in common List of people in common
Effective Altruism Foundation 18 Max Daniel, Brian Tomasik, Lukas Gloor, Adrian Hutter, Adriano Mannino, David Pearce, Lucius Caviola, David Althaus, Ruairí Donnelly, Olle Häggström, Ewelina Tur, Ulla Wessels, Ole Martin Moen, Johannes Treutlein, Anni Leskelä, Jesse Clifton, Alfredo Parra, Daniel Kestenholz
Center on Long-Term Risk 16 Brian Tomasik, Lukas Gloor, Caspar Oesterheld, Adrian Hutter, David Pearce, Lucius Caviola, David Althaus, Ruairí Donnelly, Olle Häggström, Ulla Wessels, Ole Martin Moen, Anni Leskelä, Jesse Clifton, Alfredo Parra, Daniel Kestenholz, Nicolas Feil
Raising for Effective Giving 5 Lukas Gloor, Adriano Mannino, Ruairí Donnelly, Alfredo Parra, Daniel Kestenholz
Center for Emerging Risk Research 4 Adrian Hutter, David Althaus, Jesse Clifton, Daniel Kestenholz
Sentience Politics 3 Tobias Baumann, Adriano Mannino, Lucius Caviola
Center for Reducing Suffering 2 Brian Tomasik, Tobias Baumann
Lightcone Infrastructure 1 Kaj Sotala
Machine Intelligence Research Institute 1 Kaj Sotala
Effective Altruism Funds 1 Max Daniel
Forethought Foundation for Global Priorities Research 1 Max Daniel
Open Philanthropy 1 Max Daniel
Sentience Institute 1 Max Daniel
Wild-Animal Suffering Research 1 Brian Tomasik
University College London 1 Tobias Baumann
GiveWell 1 Simon Knutsson
Conjecture 1 Janko Prester
Rethink Priorities 1 Holly Elmore
Centre for Effective Altruism 1 Johannes Treutlein
Center for Human-Compatible AI 1 Johannes Treutlein
Cooperative AI Foundation 1 Jesse Clifton
Legal Priorities Project 1 Alfredo Parra