The Future of Humanity Institute (FHI) at Oxford University, a prominent research organization focused on existential risks associated with artificial intelligence and other long-term global issues, officially closed on April 17, 2024. Founded by Nick Bostrom in 2005, FHI was known for its rigorous and innovative approaches to studying the future of humanity. The closure, attributed to decisions by Oxford University and influenced by bureaucracy and multiple controversies, has sparked widespread reactions across the academic and research community, lamenting the loss of a unique and influential institution that operated for 19 years.
What a pity. I always considered the Future of Humanity Institute to put Oxford on the map, intellectually. Big own goal to kill it. https://t.co/cInFCqxkd4
This is pretty wild. FHI has been an enormously successful piece of applied philosophy - maybe the most successful over the past two decades. I am surprised both that Oxford shut it down and that Nick was not just hired away with his institute. https://t.co/pi9daC6Ra9
More on the end of the future of humanity .... the Oxford Institute that is ... via existential risk maven @xriskology. 1/2 https://t.co/XWRxptUdFH
The future of humanity no longer exists at Oxford University. 🧐 https://t.co/emP3HTnmk3
Dark portent here - no Future for Humanity (at least at Oxford). https://t.co/CPuNPB8HIq
The Oxford University-based Future of Humanity Institute has closed! https://t.co/lqcBb96MxJ
RIP the Future of Humanity Institute - enjoyed my time there in 2016-2018 though recently it stopped being the "only game in town" for its style of work + had multiple controversies, so unsurprising outcome. The history linked here could be interesting https://t.co/IpNIMXfDub
Sad to hear this news. Reading FHI papers on existential risk was a huge inspiration to me, and played a big role in my career working to mitigate catastrophic and existential risks. I hope FHI is refounded somewhere without the iron shackles of a dysfunctional institution https://t.co/PzfCU3D913
Nick Bostrom's Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford is shutting down. It seems that humanity's future is no longer in doubt, in case anyone was worried. https://t.co/RG9INOAFVk
Press F for the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford. It constituted an absolutely incredible concentration of Elite Human Capital. 💯 https://t.co/KkpWlGlPlR https://t.co/IVtV25dUU7
It’s sad to see FHI close. We should be funding academics thinking about existential risk. Even if I don’t subscribe to the extent of the risk, it’s obviously an academic pursuit worth exploring. https://t.co/EBkV6pLM7j
The Future of Humanity Institute has shutdown 🙁 (2005-2024): https://t.co/eaUJRF9Zct
Future of Humanity Institute has closed down. Apparently bureaucracy played a role. Lol So, is there a plan to replace it and house researchers in a place that makes more sense? Is there a need for it? https://t.co/l3RRLQG1qv
The 2 Oxford FHI events I attended exemplified the best of academic life. A terrible loss. FHI, RIP. https://t.co/vP0ZffulI8
I am shocked to learn that Oxford's Future of Humanity Institute, with which I've long been affiliated, is now ended. I had no warning of this, & no idea it was coming. https://t.co/yMLsckxcVZ
An almost two decades-old organization focused on researching and mitigating the existential risks posed by artificial intelligence has shut down. https://t.co/a1wBLVYyT5
The Future of Humanity at Oxford has unfortunately closed. The long-term future is often the subject of thoughtless narratives and empty rhetoric. During its 19 years, FHI showed that precise and incisive thinking about the long-term future is possible and most fertile. -> https://t.co/lTGLvD1P8u
One of the most influential (often in a bad way) AI research institutes is shutting down, blames Oxford: https://t.co/qg64aaUm1Y
RIP to Nick Bostrom's Future of Humanity Institute and very fun thought experiments that I fear mean little to our current AI moment https://t.co/AR2wyhMXID
Oxford shuts down Nick Bostrom’s EA organization, the “Future of Humanity Institute.” https://t.co/BJX9Hv5YX8
This is a real shame. FHI produced several important ideas and hosted some brilliant people. A unique org with a large impact footprint. https://t.co/LGem0i7e7A
The Future of Humanity Institute (FHI) closed down yesterday. https://t.co/6HXP3x7Sfh