Only ~1,000 AI safety researchers worldwide — just 1% of the AI research workforce
JMannhart · x · 2026-09-05
An estimate circulating on X puts the number of AI safety researchers at roughly 1,000 — about 1% of the AI research workforce — with many employed at labs where they lack full freedom to disclose what they find.
The implied argument: with 10,000 safety researchers instead, far more concerning findings would already be public. A stark illustration of the imbalance between capability racing and safety investment.
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