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EAG Talks
Published by Aaron Bergman
- Philosophy
- Society & Culture
Talks from EA Global
Listen on Apple PodcastsPublished by Aaron Bergman
Talks from EA Global
Listen on Apple Podcasts59 min
Watch on YouTube For eighty years, nuclear weapons haven't been used. The reason? Deterrence, built on the assumption that leaders are rational, red lines are clear, and there's enough time to think before deciding. Now hypersonic missiles, cyber capabilities, and AI are eroding all three. Decision windows are shrinking from minutes to seconds, new pathways to miscalculation are opening up, and the strategic logic that kept the world safe is starting to crack. This session brings together leaders from two Nobel Peace Prize-winning organizations and a leading AI-nuclear risk researcher to examine what emerging technologies mean for nuclear stability, and what can still be done about it. The Hon. Melissa Parke is Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN, 2017 Nobel Peace Prize). A former Australian Minister for International Development and federal Member of Parliament, she previously worked as an international lawyer with the United Nations in Kosovo, Gaza, New York, and Lebanon, and served on the UN Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen. Carlos Umaña is a Costa Rican/Spanish physician, activist, and immediate past Co-President of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW, 1985 Nobel Peace Prize). He co-founded Spain's nuclear disarmament coalition and the movement Generation Zero Nukes, and received the 2019 Alan Turing Award for LGBTIQ+ Visibility. Alice Saltini is a Senior Research Lead at the Rhode Island School of Design and a non-resident expert on AI at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. She specializes in the impact of AI on nuclear decision-making and advises governments and international organizations on managing AI-related nuclear risks. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
49 min
Watch on YouTube How are emerging AI developments likely to impact animals in the coming years? The session highlights both opportunities and risks across areas such as precision livestock farming, alternative proteins, interspecies communication, wild-animal welfare, and long-term risks. It also introduces two strategies for influencing AI development to benefit animal well-being. The talk is open to all, with particular relevance for those in animal advocacy or the AI/tech community. Attendees will gain a clear overview of the AI-animal intersection, learn how AI could affect animals in different contexts, and get insights into actionable approaches and opportunities to encourage AI developments that support animal welfare. Aditya S. Karanam is the Outreach Coordinator at Animal Ethics, an international organization dedicated to expanding moral consideration to all sentient beings, with a particular focus on the well-being of wild animals. He also serves as the Director of Learning Experience at Electric Sheep, where he helps design and lead educational programs at the intersection of artificial intelligence and animal protection. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Philosophy and Logic at the University of Santiago de Compostela, specializing in emerging issues in animal ethics from a longtermist perspective. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
22 min
Watch on YouTube What does it look like when effective altruism funding translates into measurable, large-scale policy impact? This talk shares how Charity Entrepreneurship (now Ambitious Impact (AIM)) incubator funding supported Movendi International and the Center for Alcohol Policy Solutions in developing the world's first investment case for alcohol policy, with Sri Lanka as the proving ground. Alcohol taxation is potentially one of the cost-effective health promotion measures available. It reduces population-level alcohol consumption, prevents disease and death, and generates government revenue that can be reinvested in health services and social programmes. Sri Lanka raised alcohol taxes and saw tangible gains in both population health and fiscal outcomes. This talk walks through the key findings from the investment case and what they reveal about alcohol taxation as an EA-relevant intervention: its reach, its cost-effectiveness relative to other health interventions, and its particular importance in low- and middle-income countries where alcohol harm hits hardest. Maik is Director of Strategy and Advocacy at Movendi International, where he leads global and regional advocacy on alcohol policy and engages extensively with the UN system. With an academic background in political science, philosophy, and global development from Dresden University of Technology and Stockholm University, he brings nearly two decades of civil society experience to his work. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
27 min
Watch on YouTube Stefan once did daily argumentation analyses of articles on DN Debatt, Sweden's most widely read debate forum, grading them from 0 to 10. While he had expected to find errors, he was surprised by how basic they were. His critical thinking textbooks had focused on subtle fallacies, but on DN Debatt, the most common errors were bald assertions without any evidence and simply ignoring the opponent's arguments. There's a lesson here for effective altruists. We often use sophisticated reasoning tools to calculate probabilities and impact estimates. But we also need to get the basics right. In this talk, Stefan makes the case for epistemic discipline: engage with the arguments, stay calm, refrain from sarcasm. These mundane habits are an underrated part of good reasoning. Stefan Schubert writes The Update, a newsletter from Works in Progress covering current events, longer-running trends, and topical debates. He is a philosopher by training and has researched effective altruism at the Centre for Effective Altruism, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics. Together with Lucius Caviola, he has published a book on the psychology of effective altruism: Effective Altruism and the Human Mind (open access). Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
45 min
Watch on YouTube A fireside conversation with Bjørn Ihler on building a career in global security when there is no standard ladder to climb. Drawing on fifteen years between counter-terrorism, advisory work with world leaders and international organisations, founding and running The Khalifa Ihler Institute an international non-profit promoting peaceful and thriving communities, and founding Revontulet, an intelligence company mapping adversarial networks across cybercrime, terrorism, financial crime, and disinformation, Bjørn shares eight principles he has found hold up over time. The conversation covers starting from a specific problem rather than a job title, combining skills that don't usually sit together, doing real work before you have a real job, using institutions strategically, spotting gaps practitioners are quietly complaining about, building in public, treating your values as a compass rather than a constraint, and embracing the nonlinear nature of the field. Expect candid reflections on what worked, what did not, and what he would tell his younger self. Come with questions. There will be time for an open Q&A. Bjørn Ihler is the founder and CEO of Revontulet, a human rights-grounded intelligence company mapping adversarial networks across cybercrime, terrorism, financial crime, and disinformation. He is also co-founder and director of the Khalifa Ihler Institute. A survivor of the 2011 Utøya attack, he has spent fifteen years in counter-terrorism, advising world leaders and international organisations including the Obama Foundation, the Kofi Annan Foundation, the United Nations, and the OSCE. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
47 min
Watch on YouTube AI governance is a nascent field with no established playbook, and that's precisely why it needs people who can navigate ambiguity, map unfamiliar terrain, and move fast without a traditional mandate. This talk draws on a non-linear journey from historian to think-tank builder to show how adaptable expertise, the right conversations, and intellectual curiosity without the need for full mastery are the real tools for shaping policy in a field still being invented. Ysaline Bourgine is currently Executive Director of Effective Altruism Sweden, having previously served as the organization's strategist for two and a half years. She holds a PhD in History and focuses on coaching people into high-impact careers and growing the EA community in Sweden. Her research interest is AI governance, particularly how stakeholders interact to shape policy, and she is working to position the Nordics as key actors in mitigating risks from advanced AI. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
50 min
Watch on YouTube Biological risks represent some of the most consequential, pressing, and still underrepresented areas of existential risk work. This session offers an accessible entry point into the biosecurity field: why it matters, what makes certain threats globally catastrophic, and how the landscape is rapidly shifting. Starting with the foundations and history of general biosecurity and global catastrophic biological risks (GCBRs) the session then moves into examining emerging threat vectors like mirror life and the intersection of AI and biosecurity (AIxBio). This includes a mapping of the AIxBio landscape, how advances in AI are transforming what's possible in the life sciences, and what this means for both risk and defense. The session closes with a brief practical look at how people from a wide range of backgrounds, such as technical, policy, communications, operations, can find meaningful routes of impact in this space. Whether exploring full career pivots or looking for ways to contribute from within your current field. Christopher Stamper is an immunologist, computational biologist, and biosecurity researcher focused on globally catastrophic biological risks encompassing their origins, prevention, and mitigation. His work spans the immunological risks posed by mirror life, AI-accelerated medical countermeasure development at SynX Therapeutics, and AI evaluation, including serving as a subject matter expert on the SecureBio Virology Capabilities Test and ABC-Bench. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
27 min
Watch on YouTube Frontier AI poses coordination challenges that no single government, institution, or research community can solve alone, yet the window for building durable international governance infrastructure is narrow and closing. This talk offers a ground-level account of what such coordination can look like in practice. Drawing on AI Safety Connect's work across the Paris and Delhi AI Summits and the UN General Assembly, it maps the shifting Overton window of AI safety diplomacy, what was unthinkable two years ago, what is now on the table, and what still needs to happen. The session closes with concrete entry points on how researchers, policymakers, and advocates can move from observer to active steward of frontier AI safety governance. Uma Kalkar is a governance strategist working at the intersection of frontier AI safety and international diplomacy. As Chief of Staff & Strategy Lead at AI Safety Connect, she supports multilateral coordination on AI safety across Asia-Pacific and Western policy contexts, bridging technical AI safety communities and intergovernmental processes at major convenings including the Paris and India AI Summits and the UN General Assembly. Uma holds a Master in Public Policy from Sciences Po Paris and a Master of Global Affairs from the University of Toronto. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
48 min
Watch on YouTube People get sick due to accidents, infections and around childbirth - and need urgent care to save their lives. Tragically, too many children and adults do not get such care. Most don't even need expensive care in an intensive care unit, they just need to receive the basics, the low-cost Essential Emergency and Critical Care (EECC), such as oxygen and essential treatments. If we always provided such care to everyone who needed it, a million deaths would be averted each year. We takes you on a journey starting 20 years ago with clinical observations in hospitals in Sweden and Africa. We have exposed striking gaps in health systems, developed cost-effective solutions, and secured buy-in from policy makers, UNICEF, World Bank and other international organisations. Last year, we founded the non-profit organisation EECC Global and have proven that our solutions work. EECC needs scaling. The EECC Global network of 2000 members across 120 countries is striving towards the vision that no-one should die from a condition that low-cost EECC could prevent. With support we can achieve these aims. Join us. Dr. Carl Otto Schell is a senior consultant physician and PhD researcher specializing in cardiology, internal medicine, and global health systems. He is the founder of Essential Emergency and Critical Care (EECC), a social innovation focused on ensuring that the most effective and feasible lifesaving care is delivered across hospitals worldwide, and serves as vice president of EECC Global. He also advises the WHO Acute Care Action Network. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
44 min
Watch on YouTube It's only in the last decade that it's become possible to measure happiness in a rigorous, scientific way, and to work out the best ways to improve it. Michael Plant and his team at the Happier Lives Institute have pioneered comparing charities by how much happiness they increase per euro spent, using WELLBYs. Focusing on wellbeing not only reveals that the best charities globally are about 1,000 times more impactful than typical ones, it also gives us different priorities altogether, for example, treating depression emerges as extraordinarily cost-effective. Dr. Michael Plant is the Founder-Director of the Happier Lives Institute, which looks for the most cost-effective ways to improve human wellbeing around the world, as well as a Research Fellow at Oxford University's Wellbeing Research Centre. Michael has a PhD in philosophy from Oxford, where he was supervised by Peter Singer. He is a co-author of the 2025 World Happiness Report and has advised philanthropists and policymakers on decision-making, including recent work for the UK Treasury. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
26 min
Watch on YouTube A practical session on what makes a strong grant application, from how funders actually read proposals to the mistakes that sink otherwise promising projects. Come with questions, leave with a clearer sense of what it takes to get funded. Kiryl Shantyka serves as EAGx Coordinator at Centre for Effective Altruism (CEA). He manages grantmaking and strategic support for EAGx conferences and summits across Europe, advising organizers as they design and run high-quality events that connect people with impactful work and ideas. Before joining CEA, he was Executive Manager at Effective Altruism Sweden, supporting community building across the Nordics. His work spanned operations, project incubation, compliance, and event leadership. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
46 min
Watch on YouTube For many people, deciding to give effectively could be the single most impactful decision they make, if they stick to it. In this session Sofie Sjöstrand goes over the why and how of effective giving, helping you avoid common pitfalls and create lasting impact. Sofie is the Executive Director of Ge Effektivt. With a background in fundraising, foreign aid and International Relations she is working to help more Swedish donors increase their impact through Effective Giving. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
18 min
Watch on YouTube How do we do the most good? Most well-intentioned interventions have little measurable impact. A small number are vastly more effective than the rest. This session covers the core frameworks of effective altruism: identifying important, tractable and neglected problems; thinking about counterfactual and marginal impact; and weighing priorities across cause areas including global health, animal welfare, catastrophic risks and advanced AI. It also touches on what this means in practice for career and giving decisions. A useful entry point for newcomers and a concise refresher for those already familiar with the framework. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
28 min
Watch on YouTube The AI safety landscape can feel opaque from the outside: a dense network of organisations, research agendas, and entry points that isn't always easy to navigate. Drawing on his experience building Apart Research, Jaime maps the ecosystem: who the key players are, what they work on, and where people with different backgrounds can find a foothold. Whether you're a researcher, an engineer, a communicator, or an operator, this session is designed to help you see where you might fit and what your next step could look like. Jaime Raldua is CEO of Apart Research. Before, Jaime did research in robotics and software engineering, and started a consultancy to help EA organisations with tech and data. In just the last two years, Apart Research has published 30+ AI safety papers, including two oral spotlights at ICLR 2025 (top 1.8% of accepted papers), and engaged 5,000+ participants across 45 global research sprints, all through a remote pipeline focused on transforming ideas into peer-reviewed papers. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
21 min
Watch on YouTube This session provides an overview of Ambitious Impact's (AIM) work to launch cost-effective organisations improving the world at scale. Over the last five years, AIM has launched more than 50 organisations improving the lives of upwards of 75 million people and 1 billion animals. This session explains how you can assess your fit as a potential founder, ways of developing skills as an entrepreneur, and why AIM thinks entrepreneurship is a uniquely impactful pathway. In a whirlwind of testing fit for different approaches to doing good, Isla Gibson has done social sciences research in a range of settings, China-facing EA community building, and run deliberative citizens' panels for government in the UK. After some short stints at Probably Good and D-Prize, she's now helping find founders to launch some of the most ambitious charities in the world at Ambitious Impact. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
32 min
Watch on YouTube In this session, we explores ten impactful career paths that go beyond traditional roles, focusing on leveraging skills, money, and networks for global impact. We covers options suited to different career stages. The second half will be an interactive session, where attendees brainstorm which of these options they might pursue, sparking ideas for meaningful change. Emil Wasteson Wallén is Director of Programs at High Impact Professionals, where he helps mid-career and senior professionals transition into high-impact careers, primarily through the Impact Accelerator Program. His background spans entrepreneurship in the alternative protein space to EA community building. He brings a systems thinking approach and an action-oriented mindset, and thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution. Emil is also a 10% Pledger and kidney donor. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
31 min
Watch on YouTube An introduction to alternative proteins and why they offer a high-impact, scalable solution to the challenges of factory farming. This session explores the case for alternative proteins, the state of the European industry, key policy opportunities and risks, and the role the Nordics can play in driving progress. Ellie works to accelerate the alternative protein ecosystem across the Nordic region, and coordinates Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe's research function. Now based in Stockholm, her background includes political and NGO roles in London, Paris, Brussels, and experience in both the UK and European Parliaments. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
18 min
Watch on YouTube Attending your first EAGx Nordics can feel both exciting and overwhelming, hundreds of attendees, a packed schedule, and lots of opportunities to navigate. This session is designed to help you get oriented quickly and focus on what matters most. Max Onkenhout, Community Coordinator at EA Sweden, walks you through what EAGx Nordics is, why it exists, and how to approach it strategically. You'll learn how to prioritize your time, choose between sessions, approach 1-on-1 meetings, and connect with the people most relevant to your interests. We'll also cover how to manage your energy across the weekend so you can stay engaged without burning out. The real value of EAGx Nordics comes from the ideas you engage with and the people you meet. This session will help you be more intentional and confident, so you leave with more than you expected. Particularly recommended for first-time attendees but valuable for even experienced attendees. Find out more about EA Global conferences at: https://www.eaglobal.org Learn more about effective altruism at: https://www.effectivealtruism.org Learn more about effective altruism at: www.effectivealtruism.org Find out more about EA Global conferences at: www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global
7 min
Watch on YouTube Jeff Kaufman got into effective altruism before it even had a name. From 2009 to 2022, he and his wife, Julia Wise, donated 50% of their income, giving away over $2 million. Then, a conversation with someone from 80,000 Hours changed his trajectory. Jeff felt he could do more by applying his skills directly to help prevent catastrophic pandemics, rather than focusing on donations. Today, Jeff leads SecureBio Detection (formerly the Nucleic Acid Observatory), a project working to detect stealth pandemics before they spread beyond our ability to respond. In this video, Jeff explains how metagenomic sequencing can catch pathogens we aren't even looking for, why stealth pandemics represent one of the most serious biological risks to humanity, and what it would take to remove this risk entirely. "I think it is achievable to get to where stealth pandemics are not a feasible way to attack humanity, where if someone tried it, we would catch it and they would not succeed." • See more impact stories like this one: effectivealtruism.org/stories • Learn more about SecureBio Detection: securebio.org/detection • Learn more about effective altruism: effectivealtruism.org • Inspired? Take Action: effectivealtruism.org/take-action Chapters: 00:00 – Biosecurity and Pandemic Detection 00:56 – SecureBio Detection (Nucleic Acid Observatory) 01:28 – How Metagenomic Sequencing Works 02:13 – Why Stealth Pandemics Are a Top Priority 03:04 – From Earning to Give to Direct Work 05:32 – What Success Looks Like: Taking Stealth Pathogens Off the Table #EffectiveAltruism #EffectiveAltruismStories
5 min
Watch on YouTube Michael Thatcher's career has been guided by a simple formula: "Follow your heart, use your head, and then go make a difference." This has taken him from professional musician and dancer, to oceanographic researcher, to tech executive. Today, Michael is the President and CEO of Charity Navigator. Michael sees Charity Navigator as the "top of the funnel" for the effective giving journey, helping millions of donors move beyond the "warm glow" of emotional giving toward smarter, more effective philanthropy. It's a role he's deeply passionate about: "I love what I do. I love the chance to make things more effective for others!" In this video, Michael explores trends reshaping philanthropy, from the shift away from overhead ratios toward measuring real impact, to the growth of donor-advised funds and alternative giving platforms. He also highlights two key tension points in the giving space: first, getting people to give more, and then helping them give more effectively. "Figuring out where you can have the highest level of impact with the resources that you have is actually the smartest thing you can do." Michael shares how the effective altruism movement plays an important role in that second piece, helping donors find where their giving can do the most good. • See more impact stories like this one: effectivealtruism.org/stories • Learn more about Charity Navigator and Effective Giving: https://www.charitynavigator.org/donor-basics/giving-101/introduction-to-effective-giving/ • Learn more about effective altruism: effectivealtruism.org • Inspired? Take Action: effectivealtruism.org/take-action Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: The Challenge of Rating Impact 00:28 - Michael Thatcher’s Unconventional Career Path 01:11 - The Giving Journey Starts with the Heart 02:19 - Charity Navigator’s Role: The Top of the Funnel 02:53 - Focusing on Impact Over Overhead 03:14 - Giving Trends: Crypto, Donor-Advised Funds, Direct Giving 04:37 - Moving Donors from Safe Giving to Effective Giving 05:08 - How Effective Altruism Increases Impact #EffectiveAltruism #EffectiveAltruismStories