The newsletter arm of AI Safety Support (AISS), an Australian charity that provided ecosystem updates and curated resources to the AI safety community. The newsletter is no longer active following AISS's shutdown in July 2023.
The newsletter arm of AI Safety Support (AISS), an Australian charity that provided ecosystem updates and curated resources to the AI safety community. The newsletter is no longer active following AISS's shutdown in July 2023.
Project Details
Updated 04/03/26 · By grantmaking.aiThe AI Safety Support (AISS) Newsletter was one of several community services offered by AI Safety Support Ltd, a registered Australian charity based in North Sydney, New South Wales. AISS was a community-building project working to reduce the likelihood of existential risk from artificial intelligence by providing resources, networking opportunities, and support to early-career, independent, and transitioning researchers in the field.
The newsletter served as an ecosystem update publication, helping community members stay informed about developments across the AI safety landscape. It operated alongside other AISS services including a fiscal sponsorship program for AI safety researchers, a free health coaching service, an AI alignment Slack community, and a curated resource page known as 'Lots of Links' that catalogued AI safety organizations and resources.
AISS received approximately $425,000 in funding over its lifetime: $200,000 from the Survival and Flourishing Fund (as of July 2022), $200,000 from the Future Fund (FTX Foundation), and $25,000 from EA Funds. AISS also served as a fiscal sponsor for several larger AI safety programs including the Astra Fellowship, SERI MATS, and the ARENA program, with Open Philanthropy channeling grants through AISS for those initiatives.
In July 2023, founder JJ Hepburn announced an indefinite pause of AISS operations, citing burnout and the exhaustion of funds while awaiting a Long-Term Future Fund (LTFF) decision that never came. The newsletter was discontinued at the same time and did not continue independently. The newsletter page at aisafetysupport.org states it is no longer active and that readers should not expect future emails, though it left open the possibility of revival. JJ Hepburn subsequently founded Ashgro, a public charity offering fiscal sponsorship for AI safety projects.
Theory of Impact
Updated 04/03/26 · By grantmaking.aiBy keeping the AI safety community informed about ecosystem developments, funding opportunities, events, and resources, the newsletter aimed to reduce friction for researchers entering or navigating the field. Better-informed researchers would be more effective at prioritizing high-impact work, connecting with relevant organizations, and contributing to reducing existential risk from AI. The newsletter was part of a broader AISS community-building strategy premised on the idea that supporting individual researchers and lowering coordination costs accelerates progress on AI safety.
People– no linked people
Updated 04/03/26 · By grantmaking.aiDiscussion
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