Dean W. Ball
@deanwb.bsky.social
Senior Policy Advisor for AI and Emerging Technology, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy | Strategic Advisor for AI, National Science Foundation
https://hyperdimensional.co
https://hyperdimensional.co
Pinned
Dean W. Ball
@deanwb.bsky.social
· Mar 27
There are tons of technocratic AI policy proposals, but little concrete intuitions about the near-term future to motivate those proposals. The result is that the field sometimes feels disembodied, devoid of a concrete vision.
Here is what I think is coming.
Here is what I think is coming.
There are tons of technocratic AI policy proposals, but little concrete intuitions about the near-term future to motivate those proposals. The result is that the field sometimes feels disembodied, devoid of a concrete vision.
Here is what I think is coming.
Here is what I think is coming.
March 27, 2025 at 2:19 PM
There are tons of technocratic AI policy proposals, but little concrete intuitions about the near-term future to motivate those proposals. The result is that the field sometimes feels disembodied, devoid of a concrete vision.
Here is what I think is coming.
Here is what I think is coming.
Reposted by Dean W. Ball
OpenAI releasing a model spec is one of my favorite things about them. All frontier labs should be doing this. Closes the gap between intentions and results, so you can interpret them better.
openai.com/index/sharin...
openai.com/index/sharin...
Sharing the latest Model Spec
We’ve made updates to the Model Spec based on external feedback and our continued research in shaping desired model behavior.
openai.com
February 12, 2025 at 10:39 PM
OpenAI releasing a model spec is one of my favorite things about them. All frontier labs should be doing this. Closes the gap between intentions and results, so you can interpret them better.
openai.com/index/sharin...
openai.com/index/sharin...
My latest, on the AI export controls generally and the diffusion rule in particular.
This regulatory adventure, whatever you think of it on the merits, is a case study in how rules beget more rules—how regulation grows, like a plant or a weed.
This regulatory adventure, whatever you think of it on the merits, is a case study in how rules beget more rules—how regulation grows, like a plant or a weed.
January 16, 2025 at 1:52 PM
My latest, on the AI export controls generally and the diffusion rule in particular.
This regulatory adventure, whatever you think of it on the merits, is a case study in how rules beget more rules—how regulation grows, like a plant or a weed.
This regulatory adventure, whatever you think of it on the merits, is a case study in how rules beget more rules—how regulation grows, like a plant or a weed.
Reposted by Dean W. Ball
Excited to launch a new podcast with @deanwb.bsky.social about AI. It's called AI summer, and can be found on all major podcast apps. The first episode is an interview with political scientist @jonaskonas.bsky.social about AI policy in the Trump era. www.aisummer.org/p/jon-askona...
January 14, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Excited to launch a new podcast with @deanwb.bsky.social about AI. It's called AI summer, and can be found on all major podcast apps. The first episode is an interview with political scientist @jonaskonas.bsky.social about AI policy in the Trump era. www.aisummer.org/p/jon-askona...
A little late, but--my 2025 'lookahead' post is here, covering some of the major AI products, research, and policy I'll be watching this year. I hope you enjoy!
t.co/CZdR8zjsFH
t.co/CZdR8zjsFH
January 12, 2025 at 6:55 PM
A little late, but--my 2025 'lookahead' post is here, covering some of the major AI products, research, and policy I'll be watching this year. I hope you enjoy!
t.co/CZdR8zjsFH
t.co/CZdR8zjsFH
Reposted by Dean W. Ball
American AI policy in 2025 will almost certainly be dominated, yet again, by state legislative proposals rather than federal government proposals, writes Dean Ball.
The Coming Year of AI Regulation in the States | TechPolicy.Press
American AI policy in 2025 will almost certainly be dominated, yet again, by state legislative proposals rather than federal government proposals.
buff.ly
January 9, 2025 at 3:33 PM
American AI policy in 2025 will almost certainly be dominated, yet again, by state legislative proposals rather than federal government proposals, writes Dean Ball.
Hyperdimensional is almost a year old! So I wrote a reflection on the first year, covering the origins of the project, SB 1047, where I erred, the impossibility of controlling technocracy, where I see the project going next, and more. Enjoy!
December 19, 2024 at 2:07 PM
Hyperdimensional is almost a year old! So I wrote a reflection on the first year, covering the origins of the project, SB 1047, where I erred, the impossibility of controlling technocracy, where I see the project going next, and more. Enjoy!
I really wish more people criticized my own work, too.
I think the world could always benefit from more good-faith really in-depth critique of effortful technical/intellectual work. Many organizations that I collaborate with publish work hoping to have their ideas improved upon or attacked, but often surprisingly few people engage.
December 11, 2024 at 2:13 AM
I really wish more people criticized my own work, too.
“Since we necessarily underestimate our creativity, it is desirable that we underestimate to a roughly similar extent the difficulties of the tasks we face, so as to be tricked… into undertaking tasks which we can, but otherwise would not dare, tackle.”
-Albert Hirschman
-Albert Hirschman
December 7, 2024 at 11:50 PM
“Since we necessarily underestimate our creativity, it is desirable that we underestimate to a roughly similar extent the difficulties of the tasks we face, so as to be tricked… into undertaking tasks which we can, but otherwise would not dare, tackle.”
-Albert Hirschman
-Albert Hirschman
America is charging into an AI policy regime that will slow down adoption of AI, shrink model developers’ addressable market, and could deter frontier AI investment.
It’s one of the worst ways to regulate AI, it could become a national standard soon, and it’s under-discussed.
It’s one of the worst ways to regulate AI, it could become a national standard soon, and it’s under-discussed.
December 6, 2024 at 7:46 PM
America is charging into an AI policy regime that will slow down adoption of AI, shrink model developers’ addressable market, and could deter frontier AI investment.
It’s one of the worst ways to regulate AI, it could become a national standard soon, and it’s under-discussed.
It’s one of the worst ways to regulate AI, it could become a national standard soon, and it’s under-discussed.
If chatbots stay in their current role—assistants I use for random tasks throughout the day—then ads have a negligible effect on their utility.
If however chatbots become something like what the ai companies all aspire to—genuine “virtual chiefs of staff”—ads may be ruinous.
If however chatbots become something like what the ai companies all aspire to—genuine “virtual chiefs of staff”—ads may be ruinous.
December 5, 2024 at 1:35 AM
If chatbots stay in their current role—assistants I use for random tasks throughout the day—then ads have a negligible effect on their utility.
If however chatbots become something like what the ai companies all aspire to—genuine “virtual chiefs of staff”—ads may be ruinous.
If however chatbots become something like what the ai companies all aspire to—genuine “virtual chiefs of staff”—ads may be ruinous.
Reposted by Dean W. Ball
The world we live in today is already incredibly Cyberpunk, by comparison with the world of the 90s and early 2000s that I grew up in
December 2, 2024 at 8:55 PM
The world we live in today is already incredibly Cyberpunk, by comparison with the world of the 90s and early 2000s that I grew up in
Today in our respective newsletters, @milesbrundage.bsky.social and I co-author a comment on the EU General-Purpose AI Code of Practice.
We try to offer constructive comments as to how this document--which will likely be a standard for frontier AI dev compliance with the AI Act--can be improved.
We try to offer constructive comments as to how this document--which will likely be a standard for frontier AI dev compliance with the AI Act--can be improved.
November 27, 2024 at 7:46 PM
Today in our respective newsletters, @milesbrundage.bsky.social and I co-author a comment on the EU General-Purpose AI Code of Practice.
We try to offer constructive comments as to how this document--which will likely be a standard for frontier AI dev compliance with the AI Act--can be improved.
We try to offer constructive comments as to how this document--which will likely be a standard for frontier AI dev compliance with the AI Act--can be improved.
The eu ai act should quite obviously be repealed. Unsalvageable.
November 26, 2024 at 4:59 PM
The eu ai act should quite obviously be repealed. Unsalvageable.
The EU General-Purpose AI Code of Practice—a document that almost exclusively regulates American companies—came out in draft on November 14.
The deadline to submit comments is two weeks later, November 28, aka “Thanksgiving.”
You have to admire the passive aggression.
The deadline to submit comments is two weeks later, November 28, aka “Thanksgiving.”
You have to admire the passive aggression.
November 26, 2024 at 1:33 PM
The EU General-Purpose AI Code of Practice—a document that almost exclusively regulates American companies—came out in draft on November 14.
The deadline to submit comments is two weeks later, November 28, aka “Thanksgiving.”
You have to admire the passive aggression.
The deadline to submit comments is two weeks later, November 28, aka “Thanksgiving.”
You have to admire the passive aggression.
almost every proposed ai regulation should come with a sunset provision.
November 25, 2024 at 3:18 PM
almost every proposed ai regulation should come with a sunset provision.
autonomously self-replicating ai compliance documents
If you use an llm to write an algorithmic impact assessment/risk management plan about your use of ai for “consequential decisions,” are those LLM-written compliance documents themselves about consequential decisions, thus requiring an additional algorithmic impact assessment?
November 24, 2024 at 6:22 PM
autonomously self-replicating ai compliance documents
If you use an llm to write an algorithmic impact assessment/risk management plan about your use of ai for “consequential decisions,” are those LLM-written compliance documents themselves about consequential decisions, thus requiring an additional algorithmic impact assessment?
November 24, 2024 at 6:22 PM
If you use an llm to write an algorithmic impact assessment/risk management plan about your use of ai for “consequential decisions,” are those LLM-written compliance documents themselves about consequential decisions, thus requiring an additional algorithmic impact assessment?
You might ask, reasonably, “what could a manuscript about agricultural epistemics in the antebellum south possibly have to do with ai?”
But give it a try!
But give it a try!
awesome book, recommended, especially for people thinking about ai
November 22, 2024 at 5:53 PM
You might ask, reasonably, “what could a manuscript about agricultural epistemics in the antebellum south possibly have to do with ai?”
But give it a try!
But give it a try!
As a general matter I have not enjoyed Kendrick’s work post-gkmc. I feel he somehow lost the sense of urgency that characterizes all great music.
This new album gnx however is quite good so far (five tracks in)
This new album gnx however is quite good so far (five tracks in)
November 22, 2024 at 5:37 PM
As a general matter I have not enjoyed Kendrick’s work post-gkmc. I feel he somehow lost the sense of urgency that characterizes all great music.
This new album gnx however is quite good so far (five tracks in)
This new album gnx however is quite good so far (five tracks in)
awesome book, recommended, especially for people thinking about ai
November 22, 2024 at 4:29 PM
awesome book, recommended, especially for people thinking about ai
Question: can one share links here without as much fear of being algorithmically disfavored?
A test. youtu.be/FwPhiWZN6jQ?...
(Really cool piece, especially love the piano at about 8 minutes)
A test. youtu.be/FwPhiWZN6jQ?...
(Really cool piece, especially love the piano at about 8 minutes)
Charles Mingus Sextet 1970 - Pithecanthropus Erectus (live video)
YouTube video by Bob Juke
youtu.be
November 22, 2024 at 3:37 PM
Question: can one share links here without as much fear of being algorithmically disfavored?
A test. youtu.be/FwPhiWZN6jQ?...
(Really cool piece, especially love the piano at about 8 minutes)
A test. youtu.be/FwPhiWZN6jQ?...
(Really cool piece, especially love the piano at about 8 minutes)
Reposted by Dean W. Ball
I love seeing RL continue its magnificent takeover that I have doubted so many times over. I can go back to being an RL person, I don't even need to masquerade as an "RLHF" or "NLP" person anymore.
November 20, 2024 at 3:21 PM
I love seeing RL continue its magnificent takeover that I have doubted so many times over. I can go back to being an RL person, I don't even need to masquerade as an "RLHF" or "NLP" person anymore.
Reposted by Dean W. Ball
Sage thoughts on the bizarrely parachuted in idea of an AGI Manhattan project in the US China Commission report from @deanwb.bsky.social www.hyperdimensional.co/p/questions-...
Questions, Unasked and Unanswered
The US-China Commission Floats an AGI Manhattan Project
www.hyperdimensional.co
November 20, 2024 at 3:15 PM
Sage thoughts on the bizarrely parachuted in idea of an AGI Manhattan project in the US China Commission report from @deanwb.bsky.social www.hyperdimensional.co/p/questions-...
The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a group/report commissioned by Congress, puts an explicit AGI Manhattan Project as their top US policy recommendation.
November 19, 2024 at 3:24 PM
The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a group/report commissioned by Congress, puts an explicit AGI Manhattan Project as their top US policy recommendation.