grantmaking.ai Launch Round
$25,000
$50,000
Monthly salary support
25K would cover 3 months. 50K for 6 months.
The academy's overhead is 7%.
6 months of salary support for my research and operations work to help found a quasi-governmental AI safety institution, the [Estonian AI Security Institute](https://www.aisi.ee/) (Turvalise Tehisaru Teadmuskeskus T3).
6 months of salary support for my research and operations work to help found a quasi-governmental AI safety institution, the [Estonian AI Security Institute](https://www.aisi.ee/) (Turvalise Tehisaru Teadmuskeskus T3).
Project Details
Updated 07/13/26 · Provided via application · VerifiedJüri Vlassov (previously 20yrs in the Estonian interior ministry, Convergence Analysis fellow) has started an AI safety initiative under the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences. Raising public awareness of the most critical existing and emerging risks of AI technologies, the organisation aims to become the central partner for the government in analysing and mitigating risks to national security and public safety, as well as co-ordinating with partners in the region.
I would be the first hire and would contribute in strategy, project management, and operational support. Initial goals include:
- a study of the ideological risks of different LLMs
- establishing a government-facing AI risk newsletter
- hiring a technical research lead
- running the Tallinn AI security conference in spring 2027
Between 2021-2023, I coordinated operations for three editions of AI Safety Camp. For the last four years, I also headed operations at the European Summer Camp on Rationality. I did the BlueDot governance course and have been researching Estonian AI governance since late 2025 for this project.
Theory of Impact
Updated 07/16/26 · By grantmaking.aiA test case for state capacity and agentic risk in a highly digitised social system. The Estonian government is pushing widespread adoption of AI: the Prime Minister’s AI Council has approved 15 high-impact projects aimed at accelerating society-wide upskilling and incorporating AI into the Digital State. Estonia is arguably moving faster in this direction than any other country, but, due to its small size, the results are also more trackable, and it should be easier to make quick interventions. T3 would ensure the safety framing is on the table and that deployment risks get properly watched and responded to.
We have an early win: we helped promote a digital ID scheme for AI agents: a world-first policy to authenticate and track agents and enforce limits on their access to rights, services, and data. Unlike in large governments, the link between policy-makers and AI safety/security advisors is short and direct.
Due to its bet on creating one of the most digitally integrated governmental systems in the world, Estonia will serve as a unique case study in the EU with regard to societal resilience building with short feedback-loops between tech use, impact, and regulation.
At this stage, this grant would be for capacity-building. Hiring me would allow Jüri to focus on securing the SFF grant, finding collaborators, structuring the org, and advising.
People
Updated 07/16/26 · By grantmaking.aiTeam Member
Funding Asks
Applied
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