The Pathfinder Fellowship is a selective, funded program for students organizing technical AI safety or AI policy university groups around the world. It provides mentorship, funding, and resources to help fellows develop into on-campus leaders and prepare for careers in the field.
The Pathfinder Fellowship is run by Kairos, a nonprofit whose mission is to help society navigate the transition to transformative AI. In addition to Pathfinder, Kairos runs several other programs including the Supervised Program for Alignment Research (SPAR), the Generator Residency, and the Global Challenges Project.
Pathfinder Fellowship Benefits
- Funding for group activities including compute, speaker events, and pizza
- Graduate students can apply for a stipend to support their time spent on the group
- Mentorship from experienced organizers
- Access to a community of fellows through workshops, Slack, and virtual coffee chats
- Career support from mentors who have worked at top AI safety organizations like METR, RAND, and Anthropic
- Access to the AI Safety Groups Resource Center with articles on building and managing a university group
- Workshops on field-building skills like outreach, involving graduate students, and facilitating courses
Pathfinder Fellowship Eligibility Criteria
- Help lead or plan to found a university AI safety group (graduate or undergraduate)
- Have a strong interest in AI safety and enough knowledge to explain core AI risk concerns to a beginner
- Based anywhere in the world
How to Apply for Pathfinder Fellowship?
- Submit an individual application via the official application link
- Top applicants will be admitted to the fellowship
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the most frequently asked questions about the Pathfinder Fellowship. These answers cover eligibility, benefits, deadlines, and how to apply.
What kind of groups does Pathfinder support?
Pathfinder supports university-based groups focused on AI safety, including technical safety, AI governance and policy, AI security, and AI welfare. Groups can be anywhere in the world and for graduate or undergraduate students. New groups that will be founded during the upcoming semester are also eligible.
What are Pathfinder’s eligibility requirements?
Pathfinder fellows must help lead or plan to found a university AI safety group, and have a strong interest in AI safety with enough knowledge to explain core AI risk concerns to a beginner. Fellows can be based anywhere in the world. If you meet these criteria, you are encouraged to apply.
Can I apply if I’m not my group’s lead organizer?
Yes, as long as you play a significant active role running the group, such as taking a non-head position on the leadership team. The program welcomes applications from all active organizers, not just the lead.
Can multiple organizers from the same group apply?
Yes, multiple organizers from the same group can apply. While the program usually does not select more than two fellows per group, everyone on the leadership team is encouraged to submit separate individual applications rather than applying as a group.
What is the program’s timeline?
Applications open on July 6 and close on July 28. Decisions are announced on August 3. Programming includes kickoff events in early August, weekly mentor meetings starting August 8, coffee chats starting August 10, and workshops starting August 12. Funding includes a $500 starter funding on August 6.
Is the Pathfinder Fellowship paid?
Graduate student fellows may receive a stipend to support their organizing time. Undergraduates are not eligible for this stipend. However, all Pathfinder fellows can receive funding for group expenses, including compute, speaker events, and other activities.
How do we receive funding?
For most groups, Pathfinder arranges fiscal sponsorship, meaning a nonprofit adopts the group and provides a spending-capped credit card funded by Kairos. This avoids tax complications and provides an easy way to track spending. Groups with existing legal entities receive grants instead.
Do I need a fiscal sponsor to apply?
No, you do not need a fiscal sponsor to apply. Pathfinder will arrange fiscal sponsorship for your group if you are accepted into the program. This is handled as part of the fellowship support.
Can I participate in Pathfinder more than once?
Yes, if you have been through Pathfinder or its precursor program, FSP, before, you are welcome to apply in future semesters to receive additional funding and mentorship. The program supports returning fellows.
What happens if my mentor isn’t a good fit?
The program takes great care in pairing you with the right mentor for your group, considering various factors. However, after the first three calls, you can express a preference to continue the program with a different mentor if needed.
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