Insurance is a better incentive structure for alignment R&D than philanthropy
dhadfieldmenell · x · 2026-08-18
Retweets suggest insurance is a superior incentive structure for AI alignment R&D compared to philanthropy. Insurers have 'skin in the game' as they pay out when things fail, making them invested in preventative R&D and resistant to capture by specific labs. This counters the financial capture that donations can create. They can subcontract work to orgs like METR. Historically, insurers funded major safety R&D (crash tests, fire safety, nuclear inspection). The quoted text discusses labs offloading alignment externalities onto NGOs and the need for independent funding.
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