Top career paths
Below you’ll find 20+ guides to the highest impact careers we know of. Any one of them could allow you to make a big contribution to solving the world’s most pressing problems.
In each guide you’ll find pros and cons, what traits would make you a great fit, where to find the best jobs, and how to get started.
How to decide which path you should pursue
Your impact depends on both your path’s potential and your ability to excel in it. Start with a broad list of high-impact options, then choose based on personal fit.
Get more people working on top AI issues.
Get the most impactful projects funded.
Stop a catastrophic pandemic before it starts.
Who holds office affects everything.
Help impactful organisations 10x.
Bridge technical expertise and policy impact.
Shape how the world uses chips and compute.
Get decision-makers to act on AI risk.
Develop techniques to make AI safe.
China is a key player in how AI develops.
Advise lawmakers on key policy issues.
Negotiate key interstate relationships.
Convert your talents into funding for impactful projects.
Grow the community of people trying to do as much good as they can.
Improve society’s foresight on important issues.
Break new ground doing exactly what you think is important.
Inform the public on important issues.
Map how AI will transform the world and determine priorities.
Protect the world from a resurgence of the oldest existential threat.
Develop a profile and spread important insights.
Multiply your impact by growing research capacity.
Figure out the policies to address AI issues.
Skillfully implement policies that bind states and companies.
Harden systems and prevent model theft.
How to decide which path you should pursue
Your impact depends on both your path’s potential and your ability to excel in it. Start with a broad list of high-impact options, then choose based on personal fit.
Want to see all the career paths we’ve written about over the years?