BERI-CSER Collaboration

The BERI-CSER Collaboration is one of the foundational partnerships of the Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative (BERI), a US-based 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2017 by Andrew Critch. CSER, the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, is an interdisciplinary research centre at the University of Cambridge founded in 2012 by Huw Price, Martin Rees, and Jaan Tallinn. The collaboration was established around 2017-2018 as one of BERI's three original main collaborations, alongside the Center for Human-Compatible AI (CHAI) at UC Berkeley and the Future of Humanity Institute (FHI) at Oxford. Under this collaboration, BERI acts as a multiplier on CSER's research efficiency by providing services that are difficult to obtain through Cambridge's university administration. This includes hiring research assistants, engineers, writers, and support staff; purchasing equipment, software, and travel expenses; and providing administrative support for events and organizational operations. BERI is not primarily a grantmaker but rather fills gaps in university systems to help CSER accomplish its mission more effectively. Specific projects supported through the collaboration have included extending Simon Beard's work with Patrick Kaczmarek on the ethical considerations of extinction and the long-term future, resulting in several published academic papers. BERI has also supported CSER's efforts to develop a masters degree program focused on high-impact or extreme risk, and has contracted researchers for projects such as Bruce Tsai's research on Grand Futures with Anders Sandberg. BERI's Executive Director Elizabeth Cooper is a visiting researcher at CSER, maintaining a direct connection between the organizations. As of the most recent available information, the BERI-CSER collaboration remains active and is listed among BERI's main collaborations. In 2023, the collaboration was described as remaining slow and steady, with BERI paying for group social meals and managing staff transitions for ongoing projects. BERI's collaboration model involves raising funds from donors interested in supporting specific collaborations, with approximately 10% of collaboration-related grants covering BERI's core operations including executive salaries. The collaboration has been supported by major funders including Jaan Tallinn, Open Philanthropy, and the Survival and Flourishing Fund.

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