Founded in 2022 at the University of Chicago, the Existential Risk Laboratory (XLab) is an interdisciplinary research organization dedicated to the analysis and mitigation of risks that threaten human civilization's long-term survival. We focus on critically under-addressed areas: AI safety, biorisk, nuclear security, and extreme climate change, recognizing the urgent need for more expertise and innovative thinking in these fields. Since these issues don't fit neatly into pre-existing academic silos, XLab was created to serve as a coordinating locus for work on existential and global catastrophic risk on the UChicago campus, bringing together scholars from across the academy. We support direct research and provide a venue for students to build expertise in our focus areas.
The AI Safety Group @ UChicago XLab is a student group affiliated with the Existential Risk Laboratory, dedicated to education and research in AI alignment — the crucial challenge of ensuring artificial intelligence behaves in ways that benefit humanity and align with our values. As AI becomes more powerful, the importance of alignment grows. Misaligned AI could pose significant risks, from unintended consequences to potentially existential risks. Our group aims to contribute to this vital field by:
By fostering the next generation of AI researchers and ethicists, we strive to make a lasting impact on the future of AI safety, working towards a future where advanced AI systems benefit all of humanity.
