Pivotal Research (previously the Swiss Existential Risk Initiative, CHERI) is a London-based nonprofit that supports the global catastrophic risk talent pipeline through its flagship research fellowship. The 9-week in-person program pairs promising researchers with experienced mentors from organizations such as Google DeepMind, GovAI, UK AISI, and Redwood Research, focusing on technical AI safety, AI governance and policy, and AI-biosecurity. The program is hosted at the London Initiative for Safe AI (LISA) and provides fellows with stipends, accommodation support, and research management. Approximately 70% of recent fellows received funded extensions of up to six months to continue their research.
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Theory of Change
Pivotal Research believes that a major constraint on progress in AI safety and governance is a shortage of talented, well-trained researchers. By identifying high-potential early-career researchers and pairing them with experienced mentors in an intensive in-person setting, the fellowship accelerates their development and helps them produce impactful research outputs quickly. Fellows who successfully complete the program are more likely to join leading AI safety organizations, pursue relevant PhDs, or found new organizations in the field. This talent pipeline effect compounds over time: more capable researchers working on the right problems increases the probability that AI development goes well for humanity.
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- Last Updated
- Apr 2, 2026, 10:10 PM UTC
- Created
- Mar 19, 2026, 10:32 PM UTC